Import Alert: HPAI Restrictions on Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting a Zone in Nova Scotia, Canada

Import Alert: HPAI Restrictions on Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting a Zone in Nova Scotia, Canada

Issuance Date: February 11, 2022        

Effective date: February 3, 2022

Effective February 3, 2022, 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 a zone in Nova Scotia, Canada. Any of these commodities originating from or transiting through the Nova Scotia zone are prohibited, based on the diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in domestic birds. See Appendix 1 for a map and description of the Nova Scotia HPAI zone.

As previously announced following an HPAI outbreak in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, effective December 19, 2021, VS is requiring an import permit and a health certificate from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for pet birds that are imported from Canada. Pet and zoo birds originating from or transiting a zone in Canada that APHIS considers affected with HPAI must fly directly to John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, or Miami, Florida. APHIS requires these pet birds to complete a 30-day federal quarantine, including mandatory testing of the bird(s).

Under these restrictions, processed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting the Nova Scotia zone, 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.

Fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and other egg products, void of the shell (i.e., liquid eggs, dried egg whites) originating from or transiting through the Nova Scotia zone, imported as cargo, are prohibited unless they are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHIS-approved breaking and pasteurization facility. An import permit and/or certificate is not required for these shipments when consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment.

Processed avian products and byproducts, including egg/egg products, for personal use originating from or transiting through the Nova Scotia zone and entering in passenger baggage must:

• have a thoroughly cooked appearance;
• be 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); and
• 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 Nova Scotia zone will not be permitted to enter the United States. This includes hunter harvested meat. Non-fully finished avian hunting trophies must be consigned to an APHIS-approved taxidermy establishment.

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

Appendix 1: Map and description of the Nova Scotia HPAI zone

Figure: Map of Nova Scotia HPAI zone

Description: The Nova Scotia HPAI zone is delimited as follows:

• To the NORTH by the community of Kingsport and route NS-221.
• To the WEST by routes NS-358, NS-341, Middle Dyke Road, Cornwallis River Crossing Road and Canaan Mountain Road.
• To the SOUTH by Sunken Lake, Black River Lake and Eldridge Road.
• To the EAST by the community of Hantsport.
  

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