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The Philippines has lifted its temporary ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from Illinois and Wisconsin in the United States, and the Netherlands
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Imports of poultry and poultry products from Kansas remain restricted due to several outbreaks of H5N1 HPAI confirmed in multiple counties
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The Bureau of Animal Industry concluded that the Netherlands maintains sufficient veterinary oversight and has implemented measures that result in a low risk of disease transmission
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The lifting for Illinois and Wisconsin comes after updated animal health reports showed that the two states no longer meet the threshold for state-wide trade restrictions under a 2016 bilateral animal health agreement between the Philippines and the US
The Philippines has lifted its temporary ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from the Netherlands, and Illinois and Wisconsin in the United States, but the ban on another American state, Kansas, remains in place.
The lifting of the ban for the Netherlands followed the bilateral recognition of the regionalization arrangement for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as “bird flu”, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said in a statement.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Department Circular No. 05, restoring market access for domestic and wild birds and their products—including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen—provided they originate from designated disease-free zones.
This move follows a technical review by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), which assessed the Dutch government’s public health controls and outbreak management.
READ: PH reimposes ban on birds, poultry from the Netherlands
BAI concluded that the Netherlands maintains sufficient veterinary oversight and has implemented measures that result in a low risk of disease transmission. Under this system, trade restrictions are limited only to specifically affected areas rather than the entire country, where veterinary authorities can demonstrate robust surveillance and biosecurity.
Tiu Laurel said the decision reflects a science-based, risk-managed approach to safeguarding local agriculture while keeping trade channels open.
“Regionalization is a smart, science-driven safeguard that allows us to protect Philippine poultry while honoring our trade commitments,” Tiu Laurel said. “After rigorous evaluation, we are confident that The Netherlands’ veterinary controls and containment measures effectively mitigate the risks of HPAI from accredited zones.”
All import transactions will proceed under agreed terms and conditions and existing DA rules and regulations.
UNITED STATES
The lifting for Illinois and Wisconsin, meanwhile, comes after updated animal health reports showed that the two states no longer meet the threshold for state-wide trade restrictions under a 2016 bilateral animal health agreement between the Philippines and the US.
The arrangement allows a blanket ban only when three or more counties in a US state are affected by HPAI, DA said in a separate statement.
For Illinois, veterinary surveillance data showed that previous HPAI cases had been contained and were no longer spreading across multiple counties. With the risk downgraded, the DA cleared the state for the resumption of poultry imports, including meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and poultry semen, subject to existing sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.
Wisconsin received the same clearance after authorities determined that its avian influenza situation remained localized and manageable. DA said disease monitoring and control measures in the state were sufficient to prevent wider transmission, allowing trade to resume and restoring an important source of poultry supply for the Philippines.
On the other hand, imports of poultry and poultry products from Kansas remains restricted.
According to a January 19 report from the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, several outbreaks of H5N1 HPAI were confirmed in multiple counties across the state, breaching the agreed three-county threshold. The DA cited the rapid spread of the virus and the need to protect the local poultry industry as reasons for maintaining the ban.
“We have to strike a careful balance,” Tiu Laurel said. “Our priority is food security, but that cannot come at the expense of public health or the safety of our local poultry population. The poultry sector represents billions in investments and supports thousands of jobs, especially in rural communities. Protecting it is non-negotiable.”
Under the continuing restrictions, all imports of domestic and wild birds and their products from Kansas — including poultry meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and semen—remain prohibited.
DA has also suspended the processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances and revoked previously approved permits for live birds.
Only shipments already in transit and produced on or before December 19, 2025 may enter, provided they meet strict documentation requirements. Non-compliant shipments will be stopped and confiscated at ports of entry.
The DA said the selective lifting of the ban underscores its risk-based approach to trade—opening doors where disease threats have eased, while keeping them firmly shut where outbreaks continue to pose a clear danger.
