WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — On Feb. 11, the Russian Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) officially notified the U.S. that starting Feb. 15, VPSS will impose temporarily restrictions on corn and soybeans originating from the U.S. to  Russia as a result of violations of international and Russian phytosanitary requirements, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) said in a Feb. 17 report.

During negotiations on Feb. 9, VPSS addressed violations of international and Russian phytosanitary requirements in shipments of corn and soybeans to Russia. Russia stated that the U.S. did not undertake effective measures for preventing delivery of mentioned quarantined products contaminated with quarantine pests to Russia.

VPSS is forced to impose temporary restrictions on the import, including transit through third countries, of corn and soybeans originating from the U.S., in order to protect Russia from entry of quarantine pests.

Untouched by Russia’s food import embargo, soybeans were the No. 1 U.S. agricultural export to Russia in 2015, reaching nearly $190 million, the highest export level since 1970, the report said. The growth of U.S. soy exports has been largely attributable to Russia’s efforts to grow its modern poultry and livestock industries. The U.S. is currently ranked Russia’s third supplier, after Paraguay and Brazil. Russia will allow shipments that have been loaded to enter Russia, subject to increased inspection. U.S. soybean exports to Russia typically occur from October to February of the marketing year.