Various US poultry products see export restrictions
The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced last week (29 August) that Cuba, Hong Kong and Japan have all imposed export restrictions on poultry from New Jersey.
Both Cuba and Hong Kong have put a stop to the import of poultry meat and poultry meat products derived from birds raised or processed in Salem County, New Jersey on or after 29 August 2014.
Meanwhile, Japan has restricted imports of poultry from California slaughtered on or after 22 August 2014, which either originated from, passed through or were slaughtered/processed within a 10-mile radius of the affected area. It has also restricted imports from Delaware and New Jersey, as of 29 July 2014 – also from within specified restriction zones.
Toby Moore, spokesperson for the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) told GlobalMeatNews there was nothing unusual about a ban such as this, in the event of detecting LPAI.
"The duration of the bans is usually about 90 days from the date that the affected premises were cleaned and disinfected," he said. He added the most recent occurrence of LPAI in New Jersey will have minimal impact "since the state has few poultry or egg operations". The impact of the California ban has also been limited, he said. However Jim Sumner, president, USAPEEC, added: "The main impact related to the California restriction is its prohibition on product that would transit the state en route to China."
On 27 August, a report was submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health, by Dr John Clifford, deputy administrator at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, notifying it of another outbreak of LPAI (serotype H7), in Salem County, Salem, New Jersey.
The outbreak was discovered at a breeding farm and hunting preserve containing approximately 40,000 mallard ducks and 7,000 to 8,000 pheasants.
The report stated there were no commercial poultry farms within 5km of the affected premises.
