Meatingplace dot com reported this week that U.S. and Russian Food Safety officials will soon talk about the possibility of reopening its market to U.S. pork, beef and turkey products. A Russian official says they plan to end their ban starting with turkey the middle part of this month and with pork by March. National Pork Producers Council Vice President and Counsel for International Affairs Nick Giordano says they’re continuing to speak with the Russians but nothing’s been resolved yet..

Giordano says the U.S. has been shut out of the Russian market since early last year due to concerns with the feed additive ractopamine.

Giordano says Russia has a need for meat because earlier this week they cut off pork imports from the European Union over African swine fever concerns.