Press Releases

U.S. Government Guarantees Quality and Safety of U.S. Food Products Imported into Russia

October 03, 2006

October 3, 2006, Moscow — "The quality and safety of food produced in the U.S. and exported to Russia is rigidly regulated by U.S. producers acting in accordance with both state and federal law," stated the U.S. Embassy at the launch of a new U.S. Department of Agriculture information program entitled "Quality and Safety of U.S. Food Products."

Five U.S. associations representing producers and suppliers of food products that are exported to Russia sponsored the information campaign, which was designed to target a wide range of Russian consumers. The campaign was undertaken after a series of public opinion studies found that Russian consumers were not always aware of the exceptional quality of U.S. food products when making their purchasing decisions.

U.S. Ambassador to Russia William Burns stated at the briefing, "My wife and I are ordinary consumers and parents, and we are very serious about providing good nutrition for our family. The quality and safety of food produced in the U.S. is a top priority for the U.S. Government, and it is important for Russian consumers to know that all products made in the U.S., whether consumed domestically or exported, are subjected to the same high standards. We hope the Internet web site we're here to promote -- www.usfoods.ru -- will help Russian consumers discover the quality U.S. food products available in Russia today."

"The U.S. is a country with strong farming traditions, and agriculture is one of the driving forces of the U.S. economy. Tremendous attention is paid to food quality and safety issues both by U.S. government agencies and the producers themselves," said Allan Mustard, Minister-Counselor for Agricultural Affairs at the Embassy. "There are over 50 agreements that are involved in assuring food safety in the U.S., and the U.S. Department of Agriculture fully supports this initiative to inform Russian consumers of the high standards and safety measures taken to ensure U.S. food products are safe for them and their families," said Mr. Mustard.

The Chairman of the International Confederation of Consumer Societies Dmitry Yanin and Deputy Director for Research of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Alexander Baturin both participated in the launch of the informational campaign. Mr. Yanin said, "The Confederation of Consumer Societies seeks to promote food safety for Russian citizens and intends to be an objective source of information for Russian consumers about the quality of U.S. food products." Mr. Baturin added, "The principles of healthy nutrition have no territorial boundaries, and in this respect consumers in the U.S. and Russia should have equal access to information on proper nutrition."

The launch of the information campaign included a cooking demonstration by well-known St. Petersburg chef Ilya Lazerson and ended with a food tasting.

The "Quality and Safety of U.S. Food Products" information campaign was initiated by the Washington Apple Commission, the Pear Bureau Northwest, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council.