Poultry Imports
Effective June 28, the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has removed restrictions on imports of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products from zones PCZ-182, -188, and -190 in Quebec and PCZ-185 in Ontario after the highly-pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in these areas were completely resolved.
APHIS notes that PCZ-185 was the last remaining zone under restriction in Ontario and that as of June 28 no zones in Ontario are under APHIS restriction for HPAI.
Cattle Imports
APHIS reports that effective Dec. 1, 2023, it will reclassify the Nuevo León, Mexico, Level IV region to Level V status, making the entire state of Nuevo León Level V status for bovine tuberculosis.
As a result, APHIS will allow cattle originating from the state of Nuevo León to be imported into the U.S. through Nov. 30, but as of Dec. 1 such cattle may only be imported into the U.S. for purposes of immediate slaughter at pre-approved facilities. Cattle transiting Nuevo León to reach a U.S. port of entry must travel in a sealed conveyance to retain export eligibility.
In addition, APHIS is suspending cattle inspection at the Colombia Bridge facility in Nuevo León effective Dec. 1. APHIS will continue to receive cattle for inspection at all other southern border port facilities approved for this activity, including the nearby Laredo, Texas, port of entry, and will adjust staffing levels at those ports as necessary to absorb the extra volume.
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