DA bans poultry imports from Minnesota, USA

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has banned the importation of poultry products from Minnesota in the United States due to the threat of bird flu.

According to Department Circular No. 55, the importation ban covers domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs, and semen.

The ban stemmed after the National Veterinary Services Laboratories from Ames, Iowa confirmed reports of outbreaks of H5N1 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in at least seven counties in Minnesota, which affected domestic birds.

“The rapid spread of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the United States of America (USA) in a short period of time since its first laboratory detection necessitates a wider coverage of trade restrictions to prevent the entry of HPAI virus and protect the health of the local poultry population,” the circular read.

In 2016, veterinary authorities from the USA and the Philippines inked an agreement that a state-wide ban will be imposed if there are three or more counties affected by HPAI.

Apart from the importation ban, the DA also suspended the processing, evaluation, and issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary import clearance to the covered poultry products.

In 2024, the DA also banned the importation of poultry and poultry by-products from Minnesota due to the outbreak of bird flu.

On the other hand, the Philippine agriculture department also issued separate circulars lifting the importation ban on bird products from Germany and Peru.

In Department Circular No. 56, the DA noted that the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) declared that Germany is now free from HPAI.

“Based on the evaluation of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the risk of contamination from domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen, is negligible,” it read.

Meanwhile, the Department Circular No. 54 states that Peru was also declared HPAI-free. Hence, “the risk of contamination from importing live birds (domestic & wild, specifically for the purpose of pet, zoo, etc.) is negligible.”