Russia lifts ban on U.S. poultry firm

MOSCOW, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The Russian agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor Thursday lifted a ban on birds from a company owned by U.S. poultry producer Sanderson Farms.

Russia banned imports of U.S. poultry treated with chlorine in January because of public health concerns. Until then, about 80 percent of Russia's poultry imports came from the United States, RIA Novosti said.

President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to restart U.S. poultry supplies to Russia during Medvedev's visit to Washington in June and 71 U.S. companies have been reinstated so far.

The latest development leaves 16 U.S. poultry companies that fail to meet Russian sanitation requirements.