1.   After the demise of the Soviet Union, U.S. poultry exports continued to soar.

2.   Poultry exports will pick up, but not in the near future, former Agriculture Secretary Clayton Yeutter said in Atlanta on Friday.

3.   Russia accounts for about half of all American poultry exports.

4.   The announcement eased concern grain demand would fall if Russia, which buys one-fifth of U.S. poultry exports, pursued a ban.

5.   The announcement eased concern grain demand would fall because of a ban by Russia, which buys one-fifth of U.S. poultry exports.

6.   U.S. poultry exports headed for Russia that have already received import permits will be allowed to go through, but no new permits will be granted, he said.

7.   Biological test on Monday confirmed that birds at two western Sydney chicken farms have a virulent strain of Newcastle disease, which threatens poultry exports.

8.   He said the government was providing information to foreign governments and companies in an effort to prevent a decline in poultry exports due to the illness.

9.   Isolated outbreaks since then halted poultry exports to neighboring Zambia.

10.   Results of tests are expected to confirm Monday whether birds at two western Sydney chicken farms have a virulent strain of Newcastle disease that threatens poultry exports.