Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030V Procedure

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 May 1, 2019

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 1 of 6 

USDA EXPORT VERIFICATION (EV) PROGRAM:

SPECIFIED PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS FOR PORK TO THE RUSSIAN 

FEDERATION

1 Purpose

This document provides the specified product requirements for marketing U.S. pork and pork products 

to the Russian Federation under the USDA Export Verification (EV) Program.

2 Scope

These requirements apply to U.S. companies that harvest, fabricate, and/or process pork and pork 

products for export to the Russian Federation as listed on the Food Safety and Inspection Service 

(FSIS) website. This includes cold storage warehouses that repackage or process pork products for 

export to the Russian Federation. 

Companies must meet the specified product requirements for the Russian Federation through an 

approved USDA Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program. The requirements for the USDA QSA 

Program are defined in QAD 1002 Procedure: Quality System Assessment Program. The QSA 

Program ensures that the specified product requirements are supported by a documented quality 

management system; and that product is identified and traceable through the system.

Only companies with an approved USDA QSA Program for the EV Program for the Russian 

Federation may label and sell product as meeting the specified product requirements for the Russian 

Federation. 

As an alternative to the USDA QSA Program, companies may apply the requirements of the USDA 

Process Verified Program (PVP) to meet the specified product requirements. The requirements of the 

USDA PVP are defined in QAD 1001 Procedure: USDA Process Verified Program.

3 Reference Documents

QAD 1000 Procedure: Quality Systems Verification Programs, General Policies and Procedures

QAD 1001 Procedure: USDA Process Verified Program

QAD 1002 Procedure: USDA Quality System Assessment Program 

QAD 1030: EV Programs - Additional Requirements

GU0032AFA: Pork to the Russian Federation Guidance Document 

USDA FSIS: Export Library – Requirements by Country website

USDA FSIS: Eligible Plants List for Russia (Pork) website

4 Additions to QSA Program Requirements

The specified product requirements listed in Section 5 of this procedure must be met through an 

approved QSA Program. The QSA Program ensures that the specified product requirements are 

supported by a documented procedure. In addition to the requirements listed in QAD 1002 Procedure, 
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030V Procedure

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 May 1, 2019

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 2 of 6 

Section 7, Program Requirements, companies must also incorporate the following requirements into 

their QSA Program.

4.1 Company's Suppliers Listing

4.1.1 The company must maintain an approved suppliers listing of producers who 

supply hogs eligible for export to the Russian Federation. Approved producers 

must meet the specified withdrawal period, at least 14-days, for tetracycline 

group antibiotics (see Section 5.1). 

4.1.2 The approved suppliers listing must: 

a) Identify the supplier's (producer’s) name, address, and approval date; and

b) Be available to the USDA for review.

4.1.3 The company must also maintain the date that suppliers were removed from the 

suppliers listing. 

4.2 Supplier Evaluations and Re-evaluations 

4.2.1 Where the company intends to perform verification at the supplier’s premises, 

the company must state the intended verification arrangements and method of 

product release in its quality manual. 

4.3 Company’s Product Identification System

4.3.1 The company must maintain a documented product identification system to 

identify eligible products produced for export to the Russian Federation. The 

product identification system may be comprised of a list of specific products, as 

outlined in QAD 1030: EV Programs - Additional Requirements, or as an 

alternative, a product identification system in another format as designated by 

the company. This product identification system must be created in Microsoft 

Excel format and submitted to USDA with the company's program update.

4.3.2 The method for identifying the product under the product identification system 

must: 

a) Be unique to the EV Program for Pork to the Russian Federation; and 

b) Be transferable and traceable throughout production. 

4.3.3 The company must maintain records of all products identified as produced under 

the EV Program for Pork to the Russian Federation.

5 Specified Product Requirements
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030V Procedure

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 May 1, 2019

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 3 of 6 

5.1 Tetracycline Group Testing Program

U.S. pork harvest facilities that are approved for export to the Russian Federation must 

implement testing programs for the presence of tetracycline group residues in pork produced 

for export to the Russian Federation. The Tetracycline Group Testing Program requires harvest 

facilities to conduct in-house testing (referred to as Industry Conducted Testing) and participate 

in the AMS Tetracycline Residue Testing Program. 

5.1.1 Industry Conducted Testing 

a) Harvest facilities must implement a tetracycline group-testing program, 

which includes testing for chlortetracycline, tetracycline, and oxytetracycline 

residues.

b) In order to verify that the 14-day withdrawal period is being respected, 

harvest facilities must conduct Charm II Tetracycline Drug Tests 

(Competitive Assay) based on a carcass sampling plan that ensures that each 

approved supplier (producer) is sampled over a period of time. As an 

alternative tetracycline testing method, the RIDASCREEN Tetracycline 

(Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay) testing kit may be used by harvest

facilities, instead of the Charm II test kit.

1. Sampling plans for the Charm II Competitive Assay and RIDASCREEN 

Tetracycline Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay are based on the 

facility's harvest capacity per year and must be as follows: 

i) 6,000 to 9,999 - 291 tests per year 

ii) 10,000 to 99,999 - 294 tests per year

iii) ≥100,000 - 298 tests per year

c) Pork from pigs that were raised at any production-unit which produces a 

positive test result must be excluded from shipments to the Russian 

Federation until appropriate corrective actions have been implemented by 

the plant and verified by USDA. 

5.1.2 USDA Tetracycline Residue Testing

a) Each harvest facility must provide, in accordance with approved sampling 

protocol as defined by the approved laboratory, four samples per year (on a 

quarterly basis) for analysis for the presence of Tetracycline Group 

Residues.

1. Each sample must be selected from a single carcass that has been 

previously tested using the Charm II Competitive Assay or the 

RIDASCREEN Tetracycline Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay. 
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030V Procedure

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Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 4 of 6 

2. These monitoring samples must be tested at industry expense by 

laboratories participating in the Agricultural Marketing Service's 

Approved Laboratory Program using the Confirmatory method for the 

Determination of Tetracyclines in Bovine and Porcine Tissues with LC 

MS/MS.

3. The laboratory must report results to the harvest facility.

b) The test results must be available for review by AMS and FSIS to provide 

verification of the effectiveness of the program. The maximum residue level 

must be 10 ppb (ng/g). 

c) In the event the harvest facility receives a confirmed volatile positive result, 

the facility must take corrective action in accordance with their approved 

program. 

5.2 Microbiological Testing Program

5.2.1 U.S. pork facilities (harvesters, fabricators, and processors; including cold 

storage warehouses that repackage or process pork products) that are approved 

for export to the Russian Federation must implement testing programs for the 

presence of generic Salmonella, Listeria Monocytogenes, and Total Plate Count 

(TPC) in pork produced for export to the Russian Federation. 

5.2.2 Samples must be taken by employees of pork facilities that are approved to 

export to the Russian Federation. 

a) If deep muscle tissue is unavailable for sampling, a sample must be taken 

and test conducted on available product, regardless of its form.

5.2.3 Analysis must be performed by laboratories that are approved by AMS. Until 

such a program is implemented, analyses may be performed by laboratories 

accredited to ISO 17025 with an accreditation scope that includes generic 

Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and TPC testing.

5.2.4 Records of test results must be maintained by the pork facility for the period 

specified in the facility’s HACCP program and must be available for inspection 

by USDA employees at all times. 

5.2.5 Salmonella Testing Program

a) Every establishment producing pork for export to the Russian Federation 

must conduct testing for generic Salmonella. 

1. Sample Size - 25 grams collected aseptically from deep muscle tissue. 
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030V Procedure

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 May 1, 2019

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 5 of 6 

2. Sampling Frequency – One sample per production day for the Russian 

Federation. 

3. Sample Results - Test results must be provided to FSIS prior to issuance 

of the export certificate.

b) If the initial sample tests positive for generic Salmonella, then: 

1. Ten additional samples shall be taken from 10 cuts/pieces of meat.

2. The samples shall be taken from deep muscle tissue. 

3. Each sample shall weigh 25 grams. 

4. Each sample shall be analyzed for the presence of generic Salmonella. 

c) If any of the additional samples test positive for generic Salmonella, product 

from that production day is not eligible for export to the Russian Federation. 

5.2.6 Listeria monocytogenes Testing Program

a) Every establishment producing pork for export to the Russian Federation 

must conduct testing for Listeria monocytogenes. 

1. Sample Size - 25 grams collected aseptically from deep muscle tissue. 

2. Sampling Frequency – One sample per production quarterly. 

3. Sample Results - Test results must be provided to FSIS prior to issuance 

of the export certificate and must be dated within 105 days of export 

certification.

5.2.7 Total Plate Count Testing Program 

a) Every establishment producing pork for export to the Russian Federation 

must conduct testing for Total Plate Count (TPC).

1. Sample Size - 25 grams collected aseptically from deep muscle tissue.

2. Sampling Frequency – One sample per production day for the Russian 

Federation. 

3. Sample Results - Test results must be provided to FSIS prior to issuance 

of the export certificate.

Note: The TPC analysis may be performed on the same sample used for the 

generic Salmonella testing required for exports of pork to the Russian 

Federation. 

b) If TPC levels are below 1x105

 CFU/g (100,000) in vacuum packaged muscle 

cuts (and similar products) or 5x105 CFU/g (500,000) in individually 

wrapped non-vacuum packaged or bulk packed items (muscle cuts, offals, 

trim, non-individually wrapped muscle cuts) the product must be eligible for 

shipment to the Russian Federation. 
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 1030V Procedure

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c) If the initial sample samples exceeds the required levels then:

1. Ten additional samples shall be taken from 10 cuts/pieces of meat.

2. The samples shall be taken from deep muscle tissue.

3. Each sample shall weigh 25 grams.

4. Each sample shall be analyzed for TPC.

d) If any of the additional samples exceeds the required level, product from that

production day is not eligible for export to the Russian Federation.

6 Listing of Approved Programs 

Only companies approved to produce product for export to the Russian Federation may be listed on the 

USDA FSIS: Eligible Plants List for Russia (Pork) website. 

Only companies that have an approved USDA QSA Program, or USDA Process Verified Program, that 

meets the specified product requirements for pork to the Russian Federation are listed on the Official 

Listing of Eligible Suppliers to the USDA EV Program for Pork to the Russian Federation.

7 Responsibilities

Companies must meet all policies and procedures outlined in this procedure, QAD 1000 Procedure and 

the QAD 1001 Procedure or the QAD 1002 Procedure, as applicable.

___________________________________

Jeff Waite, Branch Chief 

Quality Assessment Division

Livestock and Poultry Program 

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