Sochi, we have a yogurt problem.
The Associated Press reported that Chobani, a Greek yogurt company and one of the sponsors for the 2014 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams, is being blocked from shipping its products overseas to Sochi, Russia where the games will be taking place.
A massive shipment of the locally-produced product is being kept in storage at the Newark International Airport in New York. It's reportedly awaiting approval from the Russian government officials.
The blockade is reportedly due to "unattainable Russian Customs certifications." A U.S. Department of Agriculture safety certificate would assure that the yogurt is safe to consume and would allow the shipment to proceed with delivery.
New York State Senator Charles Schumer is asking the Russian government to approve a USDA safety certificate for the yogurt and allow the yogurt company to deliver to Sochi. The shipment is reportedly meant only for U.S. Olympic athletes and employees working with the NBC crew.
Schumer said the proper paperwork has been completed. However, officials are still waiting for the needed food safety certificate. Schumer calls the shipment "an important marketing and business opportunity for [the] New York company."
Schumer wrote a letter to the head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, pleading with them to intervene in the situation.
"As you know, the USDA has sent a letter to the Russian Federation's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) requesting permission for Chobani to be able to supply U.S. athletes during the games," Schumer wrote in a statement. "The USDA is seeking the approval of an AMS sanitary certificate for export to the Russian Federation, which would be only for a one-time shipment of Greek yogurt and solely for the consumption of U.S. citizens during the 2014 Olympic games."
The AP reported that Russia has not yet approved the shipment.
