Jake Harper
The United States and China have a complex relationship when it comes to chicken trade. While there have been concerns about China's food safety standards and the absence of on-site USDA inspectors, China has been approved to process and export cooked chicken to the US. However, China has not provided a timeline for when it plans to start exporting chicken to the US, and there are still concerns about food safety among consumers and members of Congress. On the other hand, the US exports chicken feet, considered a delicacy in China, and there is a demand for US chicken in China due to preferences for white meat.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Does the US import chicken from China? | Yes, as of 2024, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Chinese domestic chicken could be exported to the US if the products were fully cooked. |
| Does China import chicken from the US? | Yes, China imports raw chicken from the US. |
| Is the US concerned about food safety with regards to chicken imported from China? | Yes, there have been concerns about China's record on food safety, with frequent outbreaks of avian influenza. |
| Has China ever been blocked from exporting chicken to the US? | Yes, Congress has blocked Chinese chicken exports in the past, and there have been bans on US chicken exports to China. |
| Has China ever imposed tariffs on US chicken imports? | Yes, China has imposed tariffs on US chicken imports in retaliation for US tariffs on Chinese products. |
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What You'll Learn
China has been approved to export cooked chicken to the US
In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a report on the food safety system governing the processing of chicken for export in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The report concluded that four Chinese poultry processors could begin shipping a limited amount of processed chicken products to the United States, provided that the products met FSIS standards. This meant that the processed heat-treated poultry products must be derived from flocks slaughtered under the US inspection system or the inspection system of another country eligible to export slaughtered poultry to the US.
Following this report, China was added to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry to the United States. This action was the result of years of negotiations between the two countries. China's long-term goal has been to export chickens raised and processed in China to the US. In 2015, the USDA approved Chinese poultry exports to the US, raising concerns among American consumers due to China's spotty record for product safety and the absence of on-site USDA inspectors.
Despite these concerns, in November 2019, the USDA announced that Chinese domestic chicken could be exported to the United States if the products were fully cooked. This decision marked the first time China gained access to the US market for poultry products. China is the second-largest producer of chicken meat in the world and the 5th largest exporter, while Chinese consumers prefer dark meat and chicken paws, and US consumers mostly prefer white meat.
However, the possibility of importing poultry meat from China has alarmed food safety advocates and some members of Congress due to concerns about relatively lax food safety enforcement in China. China has had frequent outbreaks of deadly avian influenza and has been slow to report them. There are also concerns about the lack of country-of-origin labelling on imported poultry products, making it difficult for US consumers to know the source of the chicken they are consuming.
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The US has blocked Chinese chicken exports in the past
The United States and China have had a complex relationship regarding chicken exports over the years, with a back-and-forth dynamic of allowing and blocking imports from each other. In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved four Chinese poultry processors to ship a limited amount of processed chicken products to the United States. However, this approval raised concerns among American consumers due to China's spotty record on food safety and the absence of on-site USDA inspectors.
In response to these concerns, Congress blocked Chinese chicken exports, leading to a retaliatory move by China to impose high tariffs on American chicken. This dispute reached the World Trade Organization, which ruled that China's tariffs were excessive. Following this, the USDA audited Chinese processing plants and gave its approval for them to process raw birds from the United States and Canada. This approval once again sparked worries about food safety guarantees and the absence of country-of-origin labeling for processed poultry products from China.
China has long sought access to the US market for its chicken meat, as the two countries' preferences complement each other. While Chinese consumers favour dark meat and chicken paws, US consumers predominantly prefer white meat. In 2019, China lifted its ban on importing US chicken, which had been in place since 2015 due to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the US. This move was expected to boost US poultry exports to China, with estimates surpassing $1 billion annually.
However, the dynamic nature of the US-China relationship has led to fluctuations in chicken exports. In 2025, China suspended chicken imports from two American producers as a retaliatory measure after President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on China. These ongoing trade tensions and policy changes highlight the complex nature of the chicken export business between the two countries, with each country employing various strategies to protect their interests and address concerns related to food safety and market access.
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China has long desired access to the US chicken market
In 2004, China submitted a formal request to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to evaluate its poultry system and determine its eligibility to export poultry products to the US. After an extensive audit, the FSIS granted China "equivalence" for processed poultry in 2006, meaning that China was eligible to export cooked chicken to the US as long as the raw poultry was sourced from FSIS-approved countries (currently the US, Canada, and Chile). However, Congress prohibited the implementation of this rule, and the prohibition was extended through the fiscal year 2009.
In 2013, the FSIS conducted another equivalence audit for cooked poultry, which included a document review process and on-site audits of China's inspection system. Following this audit, four Chinese poultry processors were approved to ship a limited amount of processed chicken products to the US, provided that the raw poultry met FSIS standards. However, China never ended up exporting any processed poultry to the US under these rules due to the high costs and other factors.
In 2019, after further reviews and audits of China's poultry slaughter inspection system, the FSIS issued a final rule determining that China's system was equivalent to that of the US. This meant that China could export domestically slaughtered poultry meat to the US as long as it was fully cooked. However, China is still not permitted to export raw poultry products due to avian flu risks and other food safety concerns.
Despite gaining access to the US market, China has faced continued pushback from food safety advocates and members of Congress due to its history of food safety issues, including frequent outbreaks of avian influenza and the pet food scare in 2007. Section 738 of the 2020 appropriations law continues to prohibit the USDA from purchasing Chinese poultry products for school meal programs. Additionally, China has faced tariffs and other trade restrictions from the US, impacting its ability to export chicken and other products to the US market.
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The US has concerns about China's poultry inspection system
The United States has expressed concerns about China's poultry inspection system, particularly regarding food safety and the potential risk of avian influenza. In 2015, the US allowed four Chinese poultry processors to export a limited amount of processed chicken products to the US. This decision raised concerns among American consumers due to China's history of product safety issues and the absence of on-site USDA inspectors in China.
China's poultry inspection system has undergone several audits and evaluations by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to ensure it meets US standards. The FSIS conducted audits in 2004, 2006, 2013, 2017, and 2018, assessing various components of China's food safety system, including government oversight, food safety regulations, sanitation controls, and microbiological testing programs. While the FSIS has granted China '"equivalence" for processed poultry on multiple occasions, indicating that China's inspection system provides the same level of food safety as the US, there are still concerns about the effectiveness of these standards.
One of the main concerns regarding China's poultry inspection system is the country's history of product safety issues. China has had frequent outbreaks of avian influenza, and there have been concerns about the timely reporting of these outbreaks. Additionally, in 2007, there was a scare involving melamine-tainted pet food from China, which resulted in illnesses and deaths of pets across the United States. These incidents have raised doubts about the reliability of China's inspection system and its ability to ensure the safety of its poultry exports.
Another concern is the lack of on-site USDA inspectors in China. While the FSIS conducts port-of-entry re-inspections for all imported products, including poultry, the absence of on-site inspectors in China makes it challenging to ensure that Chinese poultry exports meet US standards consistently. This lack of on-site inspectors has been cited as a reason for the uncertainty regarding China's poultry inspection system.
Furthermore, there are worries about the potential for processed chickens to be reshipped from China to the US. While it is logistically unlikely, there are concerns that chickens exported from the US to China could be processed and then shipped back to the US for consumption. This notion has caused apprehension among consumers and policymakers alike.
Overall, while China's poultry inspection system has been deemed equivalent to that of the US by the FSIS, ongoing concerns about food safety, avian influenza, and the lack of on-site inspectors have led to continued wariness regarding the importation of poultry products from China to the United States.
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China has not yet exported processed chicken to the US
China has long desired access to the US market because chicken meat demand in the two countries is complementary: Chinese consumers prefer dark meat and chicken paws, while US consumers mostly prefer white meat. In 2006, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) determined that China's inspection system was equivalent to that of the US, meaning that it provided the same level of food safety. The FSIS ruled that China was eligible to export processed poultry products to the US as long as the processed product originated from poultry slaughtered in the US or countries already eligible to export to the US.
However, before the rule could be implemented, Congress stepped in and prohibited the USDA from using appropriated funds to carry out the rule. In 2013, the FSIS conducted another equivalence audit for cooked poultry, and approved four Chinese poultry processors to begin shipping a limited amount of processed chicken products to the US. Despite this, China never ended up exporting any processed poultry to the US under these rules. Many analysts believe China had little incentive because the costs would be too high to import raw poultry from other countries, and then export the processed products to the US.
In 2019, the FSIS issued a final rule that determined China’s poultry slaughter system is equivalent to that of the US. China could now export domestically slaughtered poultry meat to the US, as long as it was cooked. However, China has not yet provided a timeframe for when they intend to begin exporting to the US. China is not processing imported, US-raised chickens and shipping them back to America.
The possibility of the US importing poultry meat from China has alarmed food safety advocates and some members of Congress. China does not have the best track record for food safety, and its chicken products, in particular, have raised questions. The country has had frequent outbreaks of deadly avian influenza, which it has sometimes been slow to report.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved four Chinese poultry processors to export limited amounts of processed chicken to the United States. However, the chicken must be sourced from countries with equivalent food safety standards to the United States, such as the US, Canada, and Chile.
In 2015, the USDA approved Chinese processing plants to process raw birds from the United States. However, there is no indication that this chicken is then exported back to the United States, as this would be costly and unprofitable for Chinese companies. Instead, the processed chicken is likely sold domestically in China.
There have been concerns about China's food safety record, particularly regarding poultry products. China has had frequent outbreaks of avian influenza, and there have been safety issues with pet treats and processed chicken imported from China. As a result, Congress has blocked the use of Chinese poultry in USDA school lunch and breakfast programs.
While China has been granted approval to export cooked chicken to the United States, it has not yet provided a list of certified plants that will process the chicken for export. Therefore, China has not started exporting cooked chicken to the United States.
