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

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent this bulletin at 03/03/2025 11:08 AM EST

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

Issuance Date: March 3, 2025 

8:55 AM, U.S. Eastern 

 

Restricted area(s) 

Effective Date(s): 

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

 

Newly released area(s) 

Effective Date(s):  

January 27, 2025 – The Meredith Restricted and Control Areas of the State of Victoria 

January 27, 2025 –The Terang Restricted and Control Areas of the State of Victoria 

January 27, 2025 – The Greater Sydney Basin Restricted and Control Areas of the State of New South Wales 

January 27, 2025 – The Australia Capital Territory Control Quarantine Area and Avian Influenza Region Australia Capital Territory Control Area 

 

As of the effective date(s) listed above, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating its list of zones in the country listed above that are subject to restrictions on the importation of certain avian commodities.   

 

Avian (bird, poultry, among other) commodities originating from or transiting the restricted area(s) listed above are subject to HPAI-related import restrictions, such as those summarized in the Restrictions section below. 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, except those noted below. Additional information, including a map of the 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. 

 

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