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DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- It's politics, not science.

That's what one livestock expert says about continued bans on U.S. pork by China, Russian and more than a dozen other countries.

The bans, instituted in the wake of the swine flu outbreak, cost the U.S. hog industry millions of dollars every week.

Iowa State University professor John Lawrence says pork is safe, so why restrict imports?

Dave Warner of the Washington-based National Pork Producers

Council says U.S. producers have had long-standing disagreements with China and Russia. He believes the two countries could be using the swine flu scare to restrict imports and give a boost to their domestic hog industry.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk has sent a letter to countries with import restrictions, seeking an end to the ban.

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)