CFIA issues advisory as avian influenza spreads in the U.S.

By Jamie Rieger
As a result of new cases of avian influenza being confirmed last week in Montana and South Dakota, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued an advisory for people traveling south of the border.
“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is implementing measures to protect Canada’s poultry resources from an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza reported in poultry in the states of Montana, South Dakota, Arkansas, Missouri, Minnesota, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington,” reads the statement.
“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 above listed states) are under restriction until further notice.
Examples of restricted items that are not allowed into Canada at this time are:
-live birds and hatching eggs
-eggs, yolks, egg whites (albumen)
-poultry meat (other than fully cooked, canned, commercially sterile meat products)
-raw pet foods containing poultry products
-feathers
-poultry manure and litter
-laboratory material containing poultry products/by-products
“There is no food safety risk associated with these products. These measures are being taken to prevent the introduction of avian influenza into other parts of Canada.”
Also, commercial imports of live poultry, birds, and raw or untreated avian products are being restricted from specific quarantine zones with the impacted states until further notice. Commercial importers should refer to the CFIA’s Automated Import Reference System for further information.
Live pet birds may be brought into Canada, but require official certification from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Inspection Service.