Poultry from Ohio and California are temporarily banned due to avian flu concerns
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
An Asian trading partner is suspending poultry from two additional U.S. states.
Philippines is temporarily banning imports of poultry from Ohio and California because of avian flu concerns.
The ban applies to meat, chicks, eggs and other products.
Philippines took this step to protect domestic birds.
“The rapid spread of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in the United States 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 populations,” a Department of Agriculture memo says.
Ohio and California join a growing list of U.S. jurisdictions the Philippines is temporarily banning poultry imports from.
In December 2023, the country suspended poultry shipments from Iowa because of avian flu. A month prior, poultry exports from South Dakota and Minnesota were banned because of avian flu outbreaks.
The Philippines has the authority to close its borders to these products due to an established agreement.
In 2016, veterinary officials from both countries signed an agreement allowing Philippines to impose a statewide poultry ban if three or more counties within an individual state are found to have avian flu.
As of Jan. 3, 2024, for example, five California counties have avian flu in domestic birds, and 12 counties have avian flu in wild birds.
Philippines ranks eighth among U.S. ag export markets, with a total export value of $4.15 billion in 2022.
Of the top 10 U.S. ag products exported to Philippines, poultry ranks fourth.
In 2022, poultry meat and products excluding eggs accounted for $220.67 million worth of U.S. exports.