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Department of Agriculture lifted the temporary ban on poultry imports from California
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The restriction had covered live birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza concerns
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Ban lifted after US Veterinary Authorities confirmed to World Organisation for Animal Health that all HPAI outbreaks in California have been fully resolved
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The circular takes effect upon official publication and filing with the Office of the National Administrative Register
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the temporary restriction on poultry imports from California after US veterinary authorities confirmed that outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the state had been resolved.
Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Department Circular No. 21, removing the restriction, which had prohibited the importation of domestic and wild birds and related products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen, from California while HPAI cases were active.
The decision to lift the ban rests on official reports submitted by US Veterinary Authorities to the World Organization for Animal Health confirming the resolution of all California outbreaks, DA said in a statement.
Under the bilateral HPAI regionalization agreement between the Philippines and the United States, statewide trade restrictions are triggered only when three or more counties report active cases at the same time.
The DA said all resumed import transactions will be governed by existing rules and regulations. The circular takes effect upon official publication and filing with the Office of the National Administrative Register at the University of the Philippines Law Center.
“Lifting the import ban restores vital trade flows while protecting local agriculture. It ensures access to high-quality poultry products without compromising biosecurity,” Tiu Laurel said.
READ: DA resumes ban on California poultry products
The agriculture department said the restoration of California imports is expected to stabilize poultry supply and prices, which experienced fluctuations during the period the ban was in effect, and to improve efficiency and competitiveness among Philippine poultry producers.
The DA reaffirmed its continued monitoring of global HPAI developments and implementing strict biosecurity measures to safeguard the local poultry industry.
