PHL bans California poultry on avian flu outbreak

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said it ordered a temporary ban on imported poultry from California in the United States, citing the need to protect the local livestock population.

 

The bank comes on the heels of an avian flu outbreak in California's Stanislaus County.

 

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the temporary ban covers eggs, semen, poultry meat, and day-old chicks of wild and domesticated birds.

 

The ban was enforced to "protect the health of the local livestock population in the country from the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)."

 

The US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) reported to the Office of International des Epizooties (OIE) that there has been an outbreak of HPAI virus in Stanislaus County in California, according to Philippine authorities.

 

"The USDA-APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed increased mortality affecting a commercial turkey farm in said county," the DA said.

 

Alcala stopped all processing, evaluation of application and issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance related to importing California poultry.

 

Except for heat-treated products, all poultry products from California will be seized by Philippine authorities on orders of the Agriculture Department.

 

Alcala noted that the importation of poultry and meat products from California is now subject to the conditions under the applicable articles of the Office of International des Epizooties' (OIE) 2014 Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

 

“We have been closely monitoring advisories from the OIE since we want to proactively protect the integrity of our poultry products as avian flu-free,” the Cabinet official said.

 

Last month, the DA imposed a temporary ban on wild and domesticated birds and poultry products from Israel and Taipei as well as from Oregon in the US.

 

The Paris, France-based OIE is an intergovernmental organization responsible for improving animal health worldwide. It informs governments of the occurrence of animal diseases and of ways to control these diseases.

 

OIE defines avian influenza or bird flu as a highly contagious viral disease affecting mainly chickens, turkeys, ducks and other birds. – Kathryn Mae P. Tubadeza/VS, GMA News