Temporary ban on some poultry products from USA

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A TEMPORARY RESTRICTION has been placed on the importation of all live birds, hatching eggs, and on fresh, frozen and chilled poultry meat and products, including table eggs, originating from the North American states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and California.

This follows the confirmation of an outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 and H5N2 in backyard and commercial poultry farms in the United States of America.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the import restriction does not apply to commercial imports of products originating outside these states; to products originating from the affected states that were produced before January 1, 2015; or to processed poultry products, and by-products processed (heat treated) to ensure the destruction of the avian influenza virus.

Personal passenger imports of all fresh or cooked poultry products, with the exception of fully-cooked products in hermetically sealed packages, are restricted from the United States as a whole.

All permits issued prior to this notice are revoked with immediate effect. (BGIS)