Import Alert: HPAI restrictions for Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting Through Australia

Import Alert: HPAI restrictions for Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting Through Australia

 

Issuance Date:  February 12, 2025

10:20AM, U.S. Eastern

 

Restricted area(s)

Effective Date(s):

May 22, 2024 – The Meredith Restricted and Control Areas of the State of Victoria

May 22, 2024 – The Terang Restricted and Control Areas of the State of Victoria

June 19, 2024 – The Greater Sydney Basin Restricted and Control Areas of the State of New South Wales

June 27, 2024 – The Australia Capital Territory Control Quarantine Area and Avian Influenza Region Australia Capital Territory Control Area

February 08, 2025 – The Strathbogie Restricted and Control Areas of the State of Victoria

 

Newly released area(s)

Effective Date(s):

None

Effective on the date(s) listed above (in bold) and as previously announced (non-bold), 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 restricted and control areas above. Importation of any of these commodities originating from or transiting the areas listed above is prohibited, based on APHIS’ determination that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) exists in domestic birds. APHIS considers all other areas outside of the restricted and control areas established by the Australian government to be unaffected by HPAI and not subject to restriction. Additional information, including a map of the newly restricted area, may be found via the Australian government website at https://www.outbreak.gov.au/current-outbreaks/avian-influenza.

Restrictions 

These restrictions below apply anytime there are affected areas listed above and will not apply when there are no affected areas. The importer has the responsibility to check the Veterinary Services (VS) Permitting Assistant for current import requirements. 

Poultry, commercial birds, ratites, and avian hatching eggs: Importation is prohibited. 

Pet and zoo birds, pigeons, and doves: May be imported under an APHIS import permit and 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.   

Processed avian products and by-products (including eggs and egg products): 

• If arriving as cargo, must be accompanied by a VS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products or by-products were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements.
• If arriving in passenger baggage from anywhere in Australia,
  • must appear “thoroughly cooked” throughout (applies only to cooked, perishable poultry meat and poultry meat products and/or cooked, perishable egg/egg products intended for human consumption), OR
  • must be shelf stable as a result of APHIS-approved packaging and cooking (for example, packed in hermetically sealed containers and fully cooked by a commercial method after such packing to produce articles that are shelf stable without refrigeration), OR
  • must be accompanied by a VS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products or by-products were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements.

Unprocessed avian products and by-products (including eggs and egg products; meat; and hunter harvested, non-fully finished avian trophies): 

• If arriving as cargo, importation is prohibited with limited exceptions. In some cases, unprocessed avian products and by-products can be imported if consigned directly from the port of arrival to an eligible USDA-approved establishment.
• If arriving in passenger baggage from anywhere in Australia, importation is prohibited, except for trophies that are fully taxidermy finished or consigned directly to an eligible USDA-approved establishment.

Fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and egg products, void of the shell (for example, liquid eggs and dried egg whites) arriving as cargo: Importation is 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 if they are consigned directly to an APHIS approved establishment. 

More information 

More information is available on the APHIS website at the links below.  

• Bringing Live Animals and Germplasm into the United States From Another Country (Import), 
• Animal Product Imports, and 
• Avian Influenza: disease, prevention, and control information.