Idaho Ag Officials Reaffirm No Impact from Russian Ban

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) — A state agricultural official says Idaho's $17 million in annual agriculture exports to Russia are not likely to be affected by the country's recent ban on U.S. food.

Idaho State Department of Agriculture market bureau chief Laura Johnson told The Times-News that 90 percent of what Idaho sends to Russia is live dairy cattle, which are exempt from the embargo.

Earlier this month Russia suspended food imports from the United States, Canada, the 28-nation European Union, Norway and Australia for a year in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russia related to the conflict in Ukraine. Russia is the 14th largest market for Idaho's ag exports.