The Department of Agriculture announced on Saturday that it has lifted the ban on importing domestic and wild birds, including poultry products, from California and South Dakota.

This decision follows the absence of new avian influenza outbreaks in these states since early June.

The ban was initially imposed on California in January and on South Dakota in November due to confirmed outbreaks of the H5N1 subtype of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, which has led to the death of millions of birds and poultry. Bird flu can occasionally infect mammals, including humans.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Memorandum Order 37 earlier this week, allowing the importation of wild and domestic birds, as well as poultry products such as meat, hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and semen for artificial insemination, from these states.

California and South Dakota have not reported new bird flu cases since June and May, respectively.

The poultry sector, which contributes around 18 percent to the Philippines’ farm output, is crucial for food security.

The sector experienced a 2.0 percent growth in the first half of the year, driven by increased chicken production.

Central Luzon reported the highest inventory with 33.68 million birds, followed by CALABARZON with 27.32 million, and Northern Mindanao with 25.87 million.