Organization better positioned to capitalize on export markets.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation said shippers to China, the third biggest buyer of U.S. pork, intend to comply with a new requirement that products have test reports showing they are free of the additive ractopamine.

China wants a third party to verify that U.S. pork shipped to the country is free of the ractopamine feed additive.

Russia decided to ban imports of U.S. beef, pork and turkey starting on Feb. 11 because it was concerned about traces of the feed additive ractopamine in this meat.

U.S. beef processors will be able to ship beef from cattle aged 30 months of younger, a change from the current limitation of 20 months.

Brazil’s poultry association, Ubabef, reported that the country’s chicken exports should increase by about 3 percent in 2013 after falling in 2012 due to high feed costs.

China has lifted a ban on poultry imports from Minnesota that was imposed for more than a year after an outbreak of avian flu.

China and South Africa have halted imports of beef from Brazil following a case of atypical BSE that was confirmed last week.