Import Alert: HPAI restrictions for avian commodities originating from or transiting the State of Victoria, Australia

Issuance Date: November 25, 2020

Effective date: November 23, 2020

Effective November 23, 2020, and until further notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) is restricting the importation of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products from the State of Victoria, Australia.  Any of these commodities originating from or transiting through the State of Victoria, Australia are prohibited, based on the diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic birds. APHIS had previously restricted all of Australia, effective July 24, 2020. This Alert is decreasing the size of the affected zone.

Under these restrictions, processed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting the State of Victoria, Australia imported as cargo must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products were treated according to APHIS requirements.

Processed avian products and byproducts for personal use from or transiting through the State of Victoria, Australia which may enter in passenger baggage and does not have a thoroughly cooked appearance, or is not shelf-stable as a result of APHIS approved packaging and cooking (i.e. packaged in hermetically sealed containers and cooked by a commercial method after such packing to produce articles that are shelf stable without refrigeration), must also be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products/byproducts were treated according to APHIS requirements.

Unprocessed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting through the State of Victoria, Australia will not be permitted to enter the United States. This includes hunter harvested, non-fully finished avian trophies and meat.

Importation of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, and hatching eggs will be prohibited. However, pet and zoo birds, pigeons and doves, may be imported under an APHIS import permit, and will be subject to a 30-day quarantine at the New York Animal Import Center in Newburgh, NY or the Miami Animal Import Center in Miami, FL.

These restrictions will be updated as additional epidemiological information is obtained. Current information can be found on the APHIS website.

 

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