DA bans poultry imports from Iowa

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has temporarily barred the entry of imported poultry from the state of Iowa in the United States to prevent the spread of bird flu in the country.

In a memorandum order, the DA said the temporary ban covers the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen originating from Iowa.

This means the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of the required sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance to these commodities are immediately suspended.

“All shipments coming from the mentioned areas of the [United States] that are in transit/loaded/accepted unto port before the official communication of this order to the American authorities shall be allowed provided the products were slaughtered/produced 14 days before the first outbreak in the particular locality,” it said.

The DA imposed the import ban after American authorities reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspect Service (APHIS) that there are several outbreaks of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 in Iowa affecting domestic birds.

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“The rapid spread of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the [United States] in a short period of time since its first laboratory detection necessitates a wider coverage of trade restriction to prevent the entry of HPAI virus and protect the health of the local poultry population,” it said.

Last month, the DA prohibited the importation of imported poultry coming from Minnesota and South Dakota as both states recorded cases of bird flu.INQ