Import Alert: HPAI restrictions for Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting Through the State of Victoria, Australia.

Import Alert: HPAI restrictions for Avian Commodities Originating from or Transiting Through the State of Victoria, Australia.  

Issuance Date: May 24, 2024 

  2:26 p.m. U.S. Eastern 

Effective Date: May 22, 2024 

Effective May 22, 2024, 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. Importation of any of these commodities originating from or transiting the State of Victoria is prohibited, based on APHIS’ determination that highly pathogenic avian influenza exists in domestic birds. APHIS considers all other States in Australia to be unaffected by HPAI and not subject to restriction.   

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.  

Importation, as cargo, of fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and other egg products, void of the shell (i.e., liquid eggs, dried egg whites), originating from or transiting any restricted region 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 when consigned directly to an APHIS-approved establishment.  

Processed avian products and byproducts, including egg/egg products, for personal use originating from or transiting a restricted region, entering in passenger baggage must:  

• have a thoroughly cooked appearance; and   
• 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); or  
• 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 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.