Claire Thompson
There has been much debate about whether chicken processed in China is being exported to the United States, and if so, whether it is safe for consumption. While China has been granted equivalence for processed poultry by the USDA FSIS, there are strict standards and inspections in place to ensure food safety. China has only recently been allowed to export a very small amount of chicken to the US, and it is subject to country-of-origin labeling. The majority of chicken consumed in the US is hatched, raised, and processed within the country, with less than 1% imported from other countries like Canada or Chile.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of chicken sold in the US that is processed in China | Less than 1% |
| Number of Chinese processing plants eligible to export cooked poultry products to the US | 4 |
| Year FSIS ruled that China was eligible to export processed poultry products to the US | 2006 |
| Year FSIS announced that China is eligible to export processed, fully-cooked chicken from the US and other approved source countries to the US | 2013 |
| Year China's food safety system for poultry received the "equivalent" designation | 2019 |
| Number of metric tons of chicken exported from China to the US from Jan-May 2022 | 2 dozen |
Explore related products
![NOH Chinese Roast Chicken Seasoning Mix - 1.125oz [ 6 units]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31o6CabaUQL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
- China has been granted equivalence for processed poultry by FSIS
- The US poultry export industry believes bans on US exports were maintained to gain Chinese poultry access to the US
- There are concerns about food safety in China
- China exports feathers and egg products to the US but has not been able to ship chicken meat
- China retaliated against US tire tariffs by imposing high duties on US chicken exports
China has been granted equivalence for processed poultry by FSIS
China has been granted equivalence for processed poultry by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). This means that China is eligible to export cooked chicken to the United States, provided that the raw poultry is sourced from countries with an equivalent poultry slaughter inspection system.
The process of determining China's equivalence began in 2004 when China submitted a formal request to FSIS to evaluate its poultry system. After an extensive audit, FSIS granted China "equivalence" for processed poultry in 2006. This added China to the list of countries eligible to export cooked poultry to the United States. However, there was initial pushback, and the 2008 appropriations bill prohibited FSIS from using funding to implement the final rule that allowed China to export processed chicken. The ban was lifted in 2010, and China submitted a new request for an equivalence audit.
In 2013, the FSIS issued a final report regarding the food safety system governing the processing of chicken for export in China. The report approved four Chinese poultry processors to ship a limited amount of processed chicken products to the United States, provided they met FSIS standards. This led to further discussion and contention between the two countries regarding the export of meat products.
Despite China being granted equivalence, there are still concerns among consumers about the safety and quality of processed chicken imported from China. These concerns include the potential for mishandling, tampering, or contamination during processing, as well as a lack of country-of-origin labels on imported poultry products. FSIS has implemented several measures to address these concerns and ensure food safety. They conduct annual reviews, on-site audits, and port-of-entry re-inspections for all imported products. FSIS's comprehensive inspection program, based on equivalency, continuous monitoring, and inspection at import, is critical to maintaining the safety of the U.S. food supply.
Setting Up Trade on Chicken Smoothing: A Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The US poultry export industry believes bans on US exports were maintained to gain Chinese poultry access to the US
The US poultry export industry believes that China maintained its ban on US poultry exports to gain access to the US market for its own poultry. This belief is not without merit, as there is a history of trade disputes between the two countries. For example, under the Bush administration, the U.S.D.A. allowed imports of chicken from China, but China banned imports of American beef due to concerns about mad cow disease. In response, Congress blocked Chinese chicken exports, and China retaliated by imposing high tariffs on American chicken.
In 2004, China submitted a formal request to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to evaluate its poultry system and determine its eligibility to export poultry products to the United States. After an extensive audit, FSIS granted China “equivalence” for processed poultry in 2006, meaning China could export cooked chicken to the U.S. as long as the raw poultry was from an approved source. However, the 2008 appropriations bill prohibited FSIS from using funds to implement this rule, and China never exported any processed poultry to the U.S. under these rules.
In 2010, China requested another equivalence audit, and in 2013, FSIS confirmed that China’s poultry processing inspection system was equivalent to that of the U.S. However, China still did not export any processed poultry to the U.S., as the costs of importing raw poultry from other countries and then exporting the processed products would be too high.
In 2015, China banned all U.S. poultry and egg imports due to an avian influenza outbreak, which lasted until 2019 when the ban was lifted. During this time, the U.S. also had bans in place on some Chinese products due to food safety concerns and trade disputes.
While China has been granted initial equivalence for processed poultry, there are still concerns about the safety of imported chicken from China. The FSIS conducts annual reviews, on-site audits, and port-of-entry re-inspections for all imported products. However, without USDA inspectors on-site in China and country-of-origin labels, it is difficult for U.S. consumers to know if the poultry has been mishandled, tampered with, or contaminated.
Despite these concerns, the U.S. and China have made progress in resolving their trade disputes and ensuring the safety of imported poultry products. China has agreed to maintain measures consistent with international animal health guidelines, and the U.S. has committed to evaluating formal requests from China regarding the avian disease status of specific regions within the country.
Hammer Mom: Two Chicks' Rise and Fall
You may want to see also
Explore related products
There are concerns about food safety in China
Food safety in China is a widespread concern for the country's agricultural industry and consumers. China's agricultural system is composed mostly of small land-holding farmers and subsistence agriculture. However, China has less arable land than other nations, so farmers intensively use fertilizer and pesticides to maintain high food production. The overuse and misuse of certain agrochemicals pose a significant threat to public health and food safety in China. For example, fertiliser overuse is associated with algal blooms in lakes and reservoirs, which contaminate drinking water with toxic microcystins, leading to diarrhoea and liver cancer. China is also the world's largest pesticide producer and exporter, and excessive pesticide application can leave unsafe residues in food products.
In addition, the use of illegal additives and toxic industrial waste in food processing is a growing food safety problem in China. For instance, incidents like the Sudan Red scandal in 2006, the melamine scandal in 2008, and the gutter oil incident in 2011 resulted in public health hazards and public distrust of the food industry and the government.
China's food regulations are complex, and its monitoring system can be unresponsive. Around ten national government departments share responsibility for food safety, including the Ministry of Health, the State Food and Drug Administration, and the Ministry of Agriculture. However, no single agency is responsible for all food safety regulations and enforcement, and the departments' duties often overlap.
In response to growing concerns about food safety, the Chinese government has attempted to consolidate food safety regulation. In 2003, the State Food and Drug Administration of China was created. In 2007, China's Vice Premier, Wu Yi, promised to create a food safety monitoring system. In 2009, the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China was enacted, marking a new stage in the reform of the country's food safety laws. In 2010, the State Council Food Security Committee was established to improve coordination among different administrative authorities. In 2013, the China Food and Drug Administration was established as the central authority to enforce food safety laws and strengthen surveillance systems.
Regarding the import of processed chicken from China to the United States, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) granted China ""equivalence" for processed poultry in 2006. This means that China is eligible to export cooked chicken to the U.S. as long as the raw poultry is from an approved source. However, there are concerns about the lack of country-of-origin labelling on imported chicken products, making it difficult for consumers to know whether the chicken they are purchasing came from China or met U.S. food safety standards.
Orlando Airport: Where's Chick-fil-A?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
China exports feathers and egg products to the US but has not been able to ship chicken meat
The United States and China have had a contentious relationship when it comes to the poultry trade. While China has been exporting feathers and egg products to the US, it has not been able to ship chicken meat. This is due to concerns about food safety and the relatively lax enforcement of food safety regulations in China for domestically consumed products and exports.
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 approved countries. However, the 2008 appropriations bill prohibited the FSIS from using funds to implement this rule, and China never ended up exporting any processed poultry to the US under these rules.
In 2013, the FSIS approved four Chinese poultry processors to ship a limited amount of processed chicken products to the US, provided that the products were derived from chickens raised in countries that met FSIS standards. China was added to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry to the US, with the stipulation that the processed heat-treated poultry must be derived from flocks slaughtered under the US inspection system or that of another country eligible to export slaughtered poultry to the US. However, China has not provided a timeframe for when it intends to begin exporting processed poultry to the US, and there are still concerns about the safety of the poultry and whether it has been mishandled, tampered with, or contaminated during processing.
Despite China being the second-largest producer of chicken meat in the world, it has not been able to export chicken meat to the US due to ongoing concerns about food safety and the lack of country-of-origin labelling. While there have been efforts to improve the trade relationship between the two countries, including the US-China Phase One trade agreement, which includes provisions that could facilitate shipments to China, the possibility of importing poultry meat from China has alarmed food safety advocates and members of Congress.
Chicken Roost Sizing: How Much Space Do They Need?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
China retaliated against US tire tariffs by imposing high duties on US chicken exports
The trade relationship between the United States and China has been contentious for years, with back-and-forth tariff impositions and retaliations. In 2003, China banned imports of American beef due to concerns over mad cow disease, to which the US Congress blocked Chinese chicken exports. China then imposed high tariffs on American chicken, which the World Trade Organization ruled were too high.
In 2004, China submitted a formal request to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to evaluate its poultry system and determine its eligibility to export poultry products to the US. In 2006, the FSIS granted China "equivalence" for processed poultry, allowing China to export cooked chicken to the US as long as the raw poultry was sourced from approved countries. However, the 2008 appropriations bill prohibited the FSIS from using funds to implement this rule, and China did not gain approval to export processed chicken to the US.
In 2013, the FSIS issued a final report on China's poultry processing inspection system, approving four Chinese poultry processors to ship a limited amount of processed chicken products to the US, provided that the products met FSIS standards. China was added to the list of countries eligible to export processed poultry to the US, with the stipulation that the products must be derived from flocks slaughtered under the US inspection system or another eligible country's inspection system.
More recently, in 2025, the Trump administration escalated tariff measures, raising the across-the-board tariff on Chinese imports from 10% to 20%. China retaliated by imposing additional duties on a range of US agricultural products, including chicken, wheat, corn, soybeans, and cotton, as well as on crude oil, agricultural machinery, and large vehicles. These tariff disputes between the two countries have continued, with both sides imposing additional tariffs and restrictions on imports and exports.
Los Pollos Hermanos: Meth in the Chicken?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, more than 99% of the chicken sold in the United States comes from chickens hatched, raised, and processed within the country. Less than 1% of chicken consumed in the US is imported from Canada or Chile, while chicken imports from China are a fraction of 1%.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allowed US chickens to be sent to China for processing and then shipped back to the US for human consumption. This is due to significant cost savings, with American poultry processors earning more than $11 per hour on average, compared to $1-2 per hour for Chinese poultry workers.
There are concerns about the safety of chicken processed in China due to its history of food safety scandals and the absence of on-site USDA inspectors in Chinese processing plants. However, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has granted China '"equivalence" for processed poultry, meaning that its inspection system is considered equivalent to that of the US. FSIS conducts annual reviews, on-site audits, and port-of-entry re-inspections to ensure compliance with US safety standards.
