Russia is Canada’s third largest buyer of pork products. Last year Russia bought close to half a billion dollars’ worth of pork from Canada, and pork accounts for 10% of all cash farm receipts in Canada. In a move to build its own domestic pork industry Russia is threatening to ban all Canadian pork imports, saying the ban is a result of the use of the feed additive ractopamine which triggers lean muscle growth instead of fat growth. Ractopamine is allowed in 26 countries, and had been allowed in Russia until December 7th, 2012 when Russia reversed the decision.