Source:  MEATINGPLACE, 1/1/15

USDA officials are working with the agency's trade partners in response to several instances of bans of all U.S. poultry imports stemming from an outbreak of avian influenza in wild birds in the Pacific Northwest, according to an official statement.

The agency confirmed two instances of bird flu in wild birds in Washington State and a small backyard flock in Oregon earlier this month. After several countries launched bans of all U.S. poultry imports, USDA officials announced that it is in communication with its trading partners to share additional information on the outbreaks, calling the general import bans “far more restrictive measures than necessary.”

The agency is asking these trading partners to bring their import restrictions more in line with guidelines provided by the World Animal Health Organization (OIE), which received information on the outbreaks from the USDA as required. The USDA statement added that no human cases of avian influenza have been detected so far and no bird flu viruses have been detected in the nation’s commercial poultry operations.

Officials in Washington State are also asking for the public’s help in tracking wild birds that may become sick or die from the highly pathogenic virus in the coming weeks.

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