Changes to import requirements for live poultry and raw fresh/frozen poultry products and by-products from France, due to vaccination for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
First published: September 27, 2023
Latest update: October 3, 2023
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is temporarily suspending the importation of all live poultry, hatching eggs, and raw fresh/frozen poultry products originating from France, effective October 1, 2023. This measure is being taken to manage the potential risk from France's vaccination campaign for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The products affected by this measure are:
- live birds and hatching eggs
- all unprocessed avian and poultry products and by-products including eggs, feathers, poultry manure and litter
- laboratory material containing poultry products/by-products
- raw or unprocessed pet food containing poultry products or by-products and
- edible or inedible raw poultry meat from birds slaughtered on or after October 1, 2023
Please note that the following products are still eligible for import:
- cooked or canned poultry meat
- hermetically sealed, commercially sterile meat
- meat or products from birds slaughtered prior to October 1, 2023, with the slaughter date appearing on documents signed by an official veterinarian of France
Items affected by this suspension are sourced, processed, packaged or shipped from France and imported into Canada directly or indirectly.
The CFIA is currently conducting a risk assessment. The industry will be informed if and when there are further changes based on the risk assessment.
The following information will provide you with additional context for this temporary measure.
Background
- in March 2023, the European Union (EU) passed new legislation governing the use of vaccination as a strategy for the mitigation of outbreaks of animal diseases, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
- the French competent authority presented their high level vaccination strategy to the CFIA in July 2023
- in addition to the current mitigation measures for HPAI (biosecurity and surveillance, etc.) France will initiate mandatory HPAI vaccination in ducks raised for meat production in October 2023
- France's plan states that vaccination of ducks for meat production is mandatory, and that vaccination of breeder ducks is permitted only for birds that will not be exported from France
- it is unclear whether meat from vaccinated ducks will be eligible for export to other countries, and how France will identify, trace and control vaccinated breeding stock
- CFIA must evaluate any risks posed by these imports on the Canadian public health, animal health, poultry industry, as well as any secondary trade implications for poultry and poultry products exported from Canada
- since June 2023, the CFIA has been in close contact with France and the EU to obtain additional information
- until completion of the evaluation, the CFIA will temporarily suspend import of all unprocessed poultry and poultry products originating from France as of October 1, 2023
- products that are heat treated, cooked, or canned will continue to be eligible for import
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