Following recorded cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks, the importation of poultry products, including domesticated and wild birds, from California and Ohio in the United States of America is subject to an indefinite ban, the Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday.

According to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., the rapid spread of the HPAI H5N1 strain in the US after its initial laboratory identification suggests broader trade restrictions to secure public safety.

“Given the geographical land mass of the USA, the Philippines agreed to impose a state-wide ban only when at least three or more counties in an affected state in the US [report] an HPAI outbreak,” said the DA.

“The [cases] of H5N1 were reported by the US Veterinary Services to the WOAH in November for both states of California and Ohio,” they added.

Included in the import ban are poultry products, such as meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and semen, the DA noted.

With this, the processing, evaluation of applications, and issuance of the Sanitary Phytosanitary Import Clearance of said commodities are immediately put to a halt.

Meanwhile, meat imports that were loaded, in transit, or accepted before the official communication of the ban on 15 January will be allowed to enter the country, ‘provided that these products were produced or the birds were slaughtered 14 days before the first outbreak.’

Poultry and poultry products imported to the country from the two American states after 14 November 2023 and 21 November 2023, shall be seized or returned to the country of origin.

Other states in the US are excluded from the ban.

Data from the DA shows that the Philippines’ importation of poultry meat from the US last year was 166,356 metric tons, valued at US$175,783,193, noting that the latter ranks as the second poultry supplier to the Philippines, accounting for 40 percent of total poultry meat arrivals, or 426,620 metric tons.

Earlier this month, the agency also prohibited poultry product importation from France and Belgium due to the bird flu outbreak.