South Korea Lifts Ban on Imports of US Poultry, Egg Products
South Korea has lifted its ban on U.S. poultry and poultry products exports, including fresh eggs, the Agriculture Department announced Aug. 17. South Korea in 2015 banned U.S. poultry imports in response to detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The U.S. notified the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on Aug. 11 that it is free of HPAI, removing “any justification for U.S. trading partners to restrict imports of U.S. poultry due to HPAI concerns,” USDA said. USDA is working with South Korean officials toward limiting any future HPAI-based import restrictions to affected areas, consistent with OIE standards, USDA said. The agreement for South Korea to allow U.S. eggs and egg product imports is temporary, but will authorize duty-free imports during domestic supply shortages. South Korea’s agriculture ministry reopened its market to U.S. eggs and egg products earlier this year, but again restricted imports after an HPAI detection in Tennessee, USDA said.
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“The United States has the strongest avian influenza surveillance program in the world and we were at once able to quickly identify, confine, and control this most recent disease outbreak. Our hope is that Korean officials will recognize that our system works and will move towards a regional approach in the event of any future findings of bird flu,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a statement. “Korea’s lifting of its most recent ban is an important move for our poultry and egg industries, but it is still just the first step.”