The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today reaffirmed the equivalence of the food safety inspection system for processed poultry in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which was originally established in 2006. This will enable the PRC to certify plants to export processed poultry product to the United States.

Additional information on this topic may be found on the FSIS website:

• Poultry Processing Inspection System Audit Report for the People’s Republic of China
• Frequently Asked Questions

While the PRC received approval to export processed poultry products to the United States, the raw poultry used for these products must originate in the United States or Canada. FSIS said that of this announcement, no companies in the PRC are certified to export processed poultry to the United States.

FSIS officials said the agency is currently auditing the PRC’s slaughter inspection system. At this time, no chickens raised or slaughtered in the PRC can be shipped to the United States.

FSIS uses a comprehensive, three-part system to establish initial equivalence and to ensure the ongoing equivalence of countries that export regulated products to the United States. A foreign country’s inspection system must ensure that establishments preparing poultry products for import into the Unites States comply with requirements equivalent to those in the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) and in FSIS regulations.

Once a country’s inspection system is granted equivalence, FSIS conducts periodic verification reviews and audits of exporting establishments. In addition, products undergo re-inspection at U.S. ports-of-entry to check for proper certification, labeling, transportation damage and general condition. Selected shipments are subject to additional re-inspection procedures, including examinations for product defects and laboratory analyses to detect harmful chemical residues or pathogen testing appropriate for the products. FSIS performs increased import re-inspection activities for countries that are beginning to export product to the Unites States.