Aust to quell Russian fears on beef trade THE Department of Agriculture is working with the meat export industry to quell Russian fears over banned Australian beef by-products. Russia's agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has imposed a ban on by-products such as offal over the use of a growth stimulant it considers unsafe. The Department of Agriculture on Tuesday said it was aware of the ban on a small number of export consignments. "The department is working closely with the meat export industry to provide the assurances sought by Russia," a spokesman said in a statement to AAP. While most international markets accepted beef produced from animals treated with the growth stimulant trenbolone, Russia did not, it said. Australia recognises Russia's right to determine its import requirements and is committed to working with Russian authorities regarding this matter. The Australian Meat Industry Council chair David Larkin told AAP the body was working with the government and speaking to Russian authorities. The temporary restrictions also affect Belarus and Kazakhstan - two ex-Soviet nations that are part of a Moscow-led Customs Union. Australia is the world's third-largest exporter of beef after the US and Brazil. It reported shipping 30,000 tonnes of beef to Russia in 2013. Beef exports to Russia have not been affected.