DA bans poultry imports from Michigan

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture temporarily banned the entry of poultry products from Michigan, United States following reports of bird flu outbreaks in the said state.

The DA imposed the temporary importation ban through Memorandum Order No. 24 to protect consumers and the local poultry industry.

It covers domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from Michigan.

The rapid spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 in the US “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,” the memo read.

With this order, the agency immediately suspended the processing, evaluation, and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for these commodities.

All shipments from the area covered by the ban that are in transit, loaded, or accepted unto port before the official communication of the DA order to American authorities will be allowed entry, provided that the products were slaughtered or produced 14 days before the first outbreak.

The DA issued the directive as US authorities informed the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and posted on its official website, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspect Service, that there was an avian influenza outbreak affecting domestic birds.

State-wide ban

Given the geographical land mass of the US, Philippine and American veterinary authorities agreed in 2016 that a state-wide ban could only be imposed if there are three or more counties affected with avian influenza in one state.

Before the promulgation of MO No. 24, the DA lifted the temporary ban on importing poultry products from Ohio as the threat of bird flu infections is no longer imminent.

American authorities reported to the WOAH that cases of bird flu have “ended with resolved status” and no additional outbreaks have been reported after April 2.

The US is one of the country’s major sources of meat imports, along with Brazil and Spain.

Meat imports from the US hit 61.13 million kilograms as of the end of April, mostly pork and chicken, according to data from the Bureau of Animal Industry.

This accounted for 15.4 percent of the 396.38 million kg of imported meat that entered the country during the period.