Virginia bulls exported to Russia

January 24, 2012
By John Reid Blackwell / Richmond Times-Dispatch

Add bulls to the list of Virginia's growing list of agricultural exports.

Gov. Bob McDonnell's office said Monday that the state's first direct export of Holstein bulls to Russia has been completed.

The shipment involved less than 50 bulls from Vistar Farms of Mechanicsville. The exact number of bulls and the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed for competitive reasons.

The deal is the first for Virginia since Russia started to allow the importation of U.S. cattle in 2008, when the two countries reached an import protocol agreement.

U.S. exports to Russia now account for about $10 million of the live cattle business there, McDonnell's office said.

This recent deal opens the door for more cattle sales, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore said.

"Russia is looking to improve their dairy industry by improving the genetics of their herd," he said. "This is a win-win for both sides. Virginia producers and exporters get the benefit of the new exports, and the Russian industry is benefiting by having the outstanding product that we are producing here."

In August, the state announced that Barboursville Vineyards had reached an agreement to export its wines to China. The McDonnell administration said that was the first commercial transaction between a Virginia winery and a Chinese importer.

The state also announced a major deal last year to export soybeans to a Chinese company.

While data is still being compiled, Haymore said Virginia agricultural exports in 2011 likely met or exceeded record amounts of $2.4 billion in 2009 and $2.3 billion in 2010.

The Russian market for live animal imports is growing, and is currently valued at more than $300 million annually, McDonnell's office said.

In 2009, Russia imported 35,000 live cattle. In 2010, the number rose to 38,000. Last year, Russia imported about 55,000 live cattle.

Russia was Virginia's ninth largest agricultural export customer in 2010 at just under $60 million.

Copyright Richmond Times-Dispatch. Used by permission.

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