Live birds, bird products and by-products imports from US restricted due to Avian Influenza

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is currently responding to cases of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in farmed birds across Canada due to the increase of avian influenza is spreading across many countries.

As of May 5th 2022, CFIA issued a notice to advise that all raw poultry and all poultry products and by-products that are not fully cooked, including eggs and raw pet foods, sourced, processed, or packaged from restricted zones in the US states are under restriction until further notice and may not be allowed to import these items into Canada.

If you buy poultry or eggs in the United States, make sure you have proof that they originate from and were purchased in a region other than those under restriction. Poultry and birds (including pet birds) originating from the restricted zones are under restriction until further notice. Furthermore, all live birds, including poultry and hatching eggs cannot transit through the restricted zones or any part of states that are completely banned.

CFIA has implemented measures to protect Canada’s poultry resources from outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza reported in poultry in the following states:

For more details on the restricted zones, please see the website United States of America – Disease freedom recognition

Also, travellers should be aware that, due to this outbreak, all raw poultry and all poultry products and by-products that are not fully cooked, including eggs and raw pet foods, sourced, processed, or packaged from the restricted zones are prohibited until further notice.

These measures are a normal part of Canada’s animal disease control efforts and are consistent with international guidelines on trade.

Live pet birds may be brought into Canada with official certification from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Contact the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for more information on the restricted areas.

Commercial imports are restricted from the specific quarantine zones within these states until further notice. Commercial importers should refer to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) for more information on restricted products. These measures are being taken to prevent the introduction of avian influenza into Canada.

Learn more on Avian influenza H5N1