Russia bans imports of US poultry products

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation (Rosselkhoznadzor) made a decision to ban imports of finished poultry products from the United States from December 5. Officials with the department explained that the measure was taken to ensure the safety of Russian consumers, RIA Novosti reports.

The restrictions will affect poultry meat and by-products, as well as finished poultry meat products. 

"Taking into account these circumstances, as well as the circumstances to ensure the safety of poultry products on the Russian market, Rosselkhoznadzor has introduced temporary restrictions on the supplies of poultry meat and by-products from December 5 of 2014," the message from the service said, TASS reports. 

On August 7, 2014 Russia embargoed imports of "Bush's legs" (US poultry) and other meat products from the United States.

American chicken legs or "Bush's legs" appeared in Russia in 1990, when Mikhail Gorbachev and George H.W. Bush signed an agreement to supply these products to Russia.

In Russia, American poultry enjoyed ill reputation for its low quality, although many people were buying it for its low market price. In 2002, salmonella bacteria were found in the US poultry, and the importation of "Bush's legs" on the territory of Russia was banned.