USDA updates import requirements for Canadian poultry

On Friday, April 10th, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) announced they were temporarily prohibiting the importation of poultry, commercial birds, other types of birds (research and performing), ratites, all avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and by-products, and certain fresh poultry products from the province of Ontario, Canada. Any of these commodities originating from or transiting through the province of Ontario were prohibited entry to the United States due to the diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry.

Details on the April 10th announcement are available in Livingston’s related Regulatory Update.

What’s New?

Now, effective Friday, April 17th, following a second outbreak of HPAI in Canada, the USDA/APHIS is requiring the following for products entering from Canada:

1. Commercial shipments of poultry meat and meat products for human consumption must be accompanied by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Annex A-9 which has been amended to include the following statement:
   1. The poultry meat was cooked throughout to reach a minimum internal temperature of 74 degrees C (165 degrees F), or
   2. The poultry meat was derived from birds that did not originate in a current USDA APHIS recognized Avian Influenza Control Zone (quarantine control zone) established due to the detection of HPAI in commercial poultry.
2. Commercial shipments of processed and unprocessed poultry/bird meat, poultry/bird products/by-products and products containing such, (including egg and poultry meat as ingredients) must be accompanied by a USDA/APHIS Import Permit and/or appropriate CFIA certification agreed to by APHIS. This also includes composted manure.
3. Non-commercial shipments (i.e., research specimens) of poultry/bird products and by-products imported from Canada must be accompanied by a USDA/APHIS Import Permit.
4. Bulk shipments of liquid eggs (for human consumption) must be accompanied by a CFIA-issued certificate which certifies that:
   1. The eggs were derived from birds that did not originate in a current USDA/APHIS recognized quarantine control zone established due to the detection of HPAI in commercial poultry OR
   2. The liquid egg product(s) were pasteurized at the minimum time and temperature requirements as per 9 CFR 590.570.
5. Unprocessed poultry/bird meat, poultry/bird meat products and by-products in passenger baggage from the Provinces of British Columbia and/or Ontario are prohibited. This also applies to hunter harvested poultry/bird meat whether accompanying returning hunters or shipped to the United States.
   1. Exceptions are:
      1. Unfinished trophies that are consigned to USDA approved establishments (VS permits are no longer required), or
      2. Poultry/bird products accompanied by a USDA/APHIS import permit, or
      3. Fully taxidermy finished bird trophies
6. Processed poultry/bird products and by-products for personal use entering the United States from Ontario or British Columbia in passenger baggage must have a thoroughly cooked appearance, or be shelf-stable as a result of APHIS approved packaging and cooking (i.e., packaged in hermetically sealed containers and cooked by a commercial method after such packing to produce articles that are shelf stable without refrigeration) to be allowed entry. If not meeting the aforementioned requirements, then these poultry/bird products must be accompanied by a APHIS import permit and/or CFIA certification confirming that the poultry/bird products/by-products were treated according to APHIS requirements. Products that do not meet these requirements are prohibited.

Many items containing poultry and egg products as ingredients will now be required to have import permits issued from USDA/APHIS as a result of the latest outbreak of HPAI in Canada. Also, importers currently holding import permits for avian materials from Canada that do not require a heat treatment should contact the USDA/APHIS office to see if those permits need to be amended, using the contact information below.

For any questions on applying for import permits or questions about current permits, please contact the USDA/APHIS office at (301) 851-3300, press option one; USDA can also be reached via email.

Other questions on HPAI requirements may be directed to a Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Agriculture Quarantine Inspection (AQI), Veterinary Medical Officer or PPQ QPAS Veterinary Regulatory Support headquarters staff at (301) 851-2312.

Questions about this regulatory update may be directed to Livingston’s U.S. Regulatory Affairs group.