21.   American farm groups said the officials included technicians who wanted to inspect U.S. poultry plants and discuss sanitary issues.

22.   Investors have moved into all five poultry plants in the Moscow region.

23.   Test results from seven poultry plants now using the system indicated that rates of disease, fecal contamination and salmonella are down on average, USDA says.

24.   The ban had been imposed amid Russian concerns about sanitary conditions at U.S. poultry plants.

25.   The birds were slaughtered, cut into pieces and packaged at the poultry plant and shipped to stores, which simply put the finished product on display.

26.   While U.S. officials hoped for a deal Wednesday ending a Russian ban on American chicken, Russian veterinarians inspecting U.S. poultry plants said such a move would be premature.

27.   A team of Russian veterinary experts would travel to the United States next week to begin a series of inspections at US poultry plants.