Claire Thompson
Chicken sold in the US is predominantly hatched, raised, and processed within the country. Less than 1% of chicken consumed in the US is imported from Canada or Chile, with China exporting a small amount of chicken to the US under strict conditions and inspection. While there have been concerns about the safety of chicken imported from China due to food safety issues, proper cooking methods can eliminate food safety risks from viruses or bacteria. The US-China chicken trade has experienced disruptions over the years due to various factors, including tire import policies and avian influenza outbreaks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of chicken sold in the U.S. that comes from China | Less than 1% |
| Chicken exported to China for processing and then sent back to the U.S. | Rumors, but highly unlikely due to economic factors |
| Chicken exported to China for domestic consumption | Likely |
| U.S. regulations for chicken imports | Must meet FSIS standards for food safety and country of origin labeling requirements |
| Food safety concerns with Chinese chicken | Avian influenza, unsanitary meat, salmonella, campylobacter, heavy metals, antibiotic residues |
| U.S.-China trade relations | Tariff disputes, import bans, and trade agreements impact chicken trade |
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What You'll Learn
The US exports chicken to China
In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a report approving four Chinese poultry processors to ship a limited amount of processed chicken products to the United States. These products were to be derived from chickens raised in countries that met FSIS standards. This report theoretically paved the way for China to process and export US-raised chickens, but major US chicken producers like Tyson Foods denied engaging in such practices.
China imposed a ban on all US chicken exports in 2015 following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. This ban was lifted in 2019, and provisions in the Phase One trade agreement were expected to strengthen export access for US chicken producers. At the same time, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that fully cooked Chinese domestic chicken could be exported to the United States, granting China access to the US market for the first time.
While there were concerns about the reshipping of US-raised chickens through China, industry experts pointed out the economic impracticality of such practices. Instead, it was suggested that China aimed to process and sell US chickens domestically while working towards exporting chickens raised and processed in China to the US market.
In recent years, tariff disputes between the US and China have impacted the availability of US chicken products in Chinese stores and restaurants. The 90-day tariff pause agreed upon in Geneva in May is under threat as both countries have accused each other of breaching the terms. As a result, American agricultural products, including chicken, have become less prevalent in China, losing ground to other imports.
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Chicken imported from China to the US is fully cooked
Chicken sold in the US is predominantly hatched, raised, and processed within the country. Less than 1% of chicken consumed in the US is imported from Canada or Chile, and only a fraction of 1% comes from China.
In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved four Chinese poultry processors to begin shipping a limited amount of processed chicken products to the US. However, these products must be derived from chickens raised in countries that meet FSIS standards. This means that the chicken can be processed in China but can come from other countries such as the US, Canada, or Chile.
In 2019, China's food safety system for poultry received the "equivalent" designation, meaning that it met the standards of the USDA's FSIS. This paved the way for China to potentially export fully cooked chicken to the US. However, it is important to note that cooked poultry is considered a processed food item and is therefore excluded from country-of-origin labeling requirements. This means that US consumers may not always know if they are consuming chicken processed in China.
While China has been approved to export fully cooked chicken to the US, it is worth noting that there have been concerns over avian influenza transmission from raw poultry and food safety scandals in China. As a result, critics have argued that trade deals prioritize commerce over public health. Nevertheless, properly cooked poultry does not pose a food safety risk from viruses or bacteria.
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Food safety concerns about Chinese chicken
In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved four Chinese poultry processors to begin exporting a limited amount of processed chicken products to the United States. This decision was made after an extensive audit deemed China's processing system equivalent to that of the US, meaning that it met US food safety standards. However, this decision has sparked concerns among consumers about the safety of Chinese chicken.
One of the main concerns regarding Chinese chicken is the risk of foodborne illnesses due to improper cooking or cross-contamination. If poultry is not cooked properly, or if there is cross-contamination between raw chicken and cooked products, zoonotic bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter can be transmitted to humans. While proper cooking can eliminate these bacteria, undercooked poultry or cross-contamination can lead to illnesses such as salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis. China has similar rules to the US regarding poultry safety, but enforcement is lacking, and many poultry farmers are not well-informed about the regulations.
Heavy metal contamination in Chinese poultry products is another concern. China's high coal consumption releases heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic into the environment, which can contaminate poultry and other food sources. Additionally, there are concerns about antibiotic residues in poultry. In response to these concerns, the Chinese government announced plans to increase surveillance, oversight, and monitoring of poultry to reduce the presence of antibiotic residues.
While the FSIS has deemed China's processing system equivalent, there have been criticisms of the decision. Audits of Chinese food safety systems have revealed significant problems, and there is a lack of trust in China's ability to enforce its own regulations due to a history of food safety issues and concerns about corruption. There is also uncertainty about the origin of the poultry, as critics worry about verifying that the chicken exported to the US is indeed from approved sources and not from China.
In summary, while Chinese chicken exported to the US is subject to strict conditions and inspection, consumers remain concerned about food safety due to China's history of food safety issues, lack of robust enforcement, and the risk of contamination and foodborne illnesses. These concerns highlight the importance of stringent food safety regulations and the need for transparency and verification in the food supply chain.
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Poultry processors in China
In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved four Chinese poultry processors to begin shipping a limited amount of processed chicken products to the United States. This meant that China was added to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry to the US. However, there were stipulations in place: 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.
Despite this approval, it is important to note that the poultry exported from China to the US is a very small amount. In 2022, China exported only about two dozen metric tons of chicken to the US from January to May. Additionally, the poultry exported from China is required to be processed, meaning it will not require country-of-origin labelling. This has raised concerns among consumers about food safety and transparency.
While there were rumours that US companies were sending chicken to China for processing and then shipping it back to the US, these claims have been refuted by companies like Tyson Foods. They stated that it does not make economic sense to ship chicken back and forth between the two countries, and any chicken exported to China from the US would likely be processed and sold in China's domestic market.
In 2018, concerns were raised about the lack of auditing of some Chinese poultry processors by the USDA's FSIS. Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro expressed worries about food safety, especially since China has dealt with issues related to a fragmented food safety system in the past. She highlighted the identification of multiple antibiotic-resistant genes in the country's commercial chicken flock. This prompted discussions about the need for more proactive and thorough evaluation of China's food safety systems by the FSIS.
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Chicken trade disruptions between the US and China
In 2013, the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved four Chinese poultry processors to export a limited amount of processed chicken to the US. However, this decision faced criticism due to concerns over food safety in China and the absence of on-site USDA inspectors and country-of-origin labels.
In 2014 and 2015, an avian flu outbreak in the US led China to impose a nationwide ban on all US chicken exports, despite international guidelines recommending more limited restrictions. This ban was lifted in 2019, and the US also granted approval for Chinese domestic chicken to be exported to the US if fully cooked.
More recently, in 2025, China suspended imports of chicken products from specific American producers amid escalating trade tensions and tariff disputes. These disruptions highlight the complex nature of the US-China chicken trade, with ongoing negotiations and agreements aimed at facilitating trade while also addressing food safety concerns and retaliatory actions.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that China was eligible to export processed, fully-cooked chicken to the US. However, it should be noted that more than 99% of the chicken sold in the US is hatched, raised, and processed within the country.
Critics have pointed to China's record of food safety issues and argued that trade deals prioritise commerce over public health. There have been concerns over avian influenza transmission from raw poultry to the US. However, if poultry is cooked properly, there is no food safety risk from viruses or bacteria.
Cooked poultry is considered a processed food item and is excluded from country-of-origin labelling requirements. This means that consumers may not always know if they are consuming chicken from China. Restaurants are also exempt from these labelling requirements.
