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The Department of Agriculture banned the importation of live birds and imported poultry products from the US states of California and Ohio to stop the spread of avian flu
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The ban took effect on January 15
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Poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen were included in the order contained in DA Memorandum Order No. 03 Series of 2024
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Shipments in transit, loaded or accepted at Philippine ports before the import ban will be allowed entry as long as the products were produced or slaughtered before the first outbreak of avian flu
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has banned the importation of domesticated and wild birds, including poultry meat, eggs, and other products, from the US states of California and Ohio to stop the spread of avian flu.
The ban took effect on January 15.
“The rapid spread of the HPAI H5N1 strain in the United States since the first laboratory detection necessitates a wider coverage of the trade restriction to prevent the entry of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) virus and protect the health of the local population,” according to Memorandum Order No. 03 Series of 2024 signed by Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. on January 15.
The ban includes poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen and also ordered the immediate suspension of Sanitary Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) to the said commodities.
Shipments already in transit, loaded or accepted at Philippine ports before the import ban will be allowed entry as long as the products were produced or slaughtered before the first outbreak of avian flu.
The agriculture department will seize and destroy or return to the states of origin poultry and poultry products imported to the country from the said two states after Nov. 14, 2023 and Nov. 21, 2023, respectively.
The case of H5N1 HPAI was logged by the US Veterinary Services to the World Organization for Animal Health in November 2023 for both states of California and Ohio.
An existing mutual HPAI-related agreement in 2016 between the US and Philippine veterinary authorities included a provision that a “state-wide” ban shall only be imposed if there are three or more counties affected with avian influenza in one state.
