INFLUENZA UPDATE: WHO Alert Level Changes; Cases Now Found in 10 U.S. States; Clarifications Sought on Russia Eligibility...
INFLUENZA UPDATE:
WHO Alert Level Changes; Cases Now Found in 18 U.S. States; Clarifications Sought on Russia Eligibility
Several events have emerged today with regard to influenza-related trade restrictions. The list of official import suspensions and the unofficial “watch list” below have been modified accordingly. While today’s changes in these lists are fairly modest, please direct attention to the new developments and details with regard to Russia. Also please note that despite its earlier announcement, Guatemala no longer plans to impose restrictions on U.S. imports.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the disease alert to Level 5 and suggested that all countries immediately activate pandemic preparedness plans. It is not yet clear, however, whether this change in alert level will trigger any additional restrictions on trade, travel or commerce. More information on this issue can be found online.
More U.S. states – Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina, Colorado, Kentucky, Delaware, Minnesota, Nebraska, Georgia and New Jersey – have joined the list with confirmed influenza cases, bringing the total number of these states to 18. While it is not yet clear how this development will affect trade suspensions imposed on specific states, it is assumed that restrictions already placed on California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas will be expanded to include these states.
In an effort to minimize the scope and length of these import suspensions, USMEF continues to provide product safety information to public health and trade officials in international markets, as well as importers, retailers and other trade representatives, and international media.
Further information will be posted at www.usmef.org as it becomes available. In the meantime, members may contact USMEF at 303-623-6328 with any questions regarding market closures. Please bear in mind that a large portion of the market closure information is still unconfirmed and unofficial, even though it may be appearing in news reports.
Official import suspensions:
Bolivia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of U.S. pork and pork products.
China, effective April 26:
Suspension of all pork and pork product imports from California, Texas, Kansas, New York and Ohio, as well as Mexico. Transshipments through these states are also ineligible for shipment to China as of April 27.
Croatia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of pork and live swine from North America and South America.
Honduras, effective April 24:
Suspension of all fresh pork products from the United States and Mexico. Cooked and processed pork meat allowed if cooked to 68ºC for 30 minutes or 71ºC for 3 minutes.
Indonesia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of all pork and swine from outside its borders.
Kazakhstan, effective date April 28:
Suspended pork imports fromTexas, California and Kansas, but is expected to extend this ban to other affected states as well.
Russia, effective date of slaughter April 21:
- Suspension of all non-heat-treated meat — regardless of the species of origin — from animals raised or slaughtered in Texas, California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Mexico.
- Suspension of non-heat-treated pork from animals raised or slaughtered in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Florida, as well as from the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador.
Additional notes:
- Documents from Russia define "heat-treated" as "80ºC for at least 30 minutes."
- Effective April 26, Russia also banned "passenger baggage" and catering materials from all species including heat-treated poultry meat, pork and beef from animals raised or slaughtered in the states of Texas, California, Ohio, New York, and Kansas. This ban is for passengers luggage and in-flight catering of aerial vehicles and sea vessels arriving from (or those that visited or landed in airports in) these states.
- Russia has not prohibited transshipments through the suspended states. However, because meat from animals raised or slaughtered in any of these states is included in the ban, it is unclear how successful any U.S. products will be in achieving eligibility for shipment to Russia. USMEF and trade officials are working to clarify this situation and determine the source verification or other documentation necessary to make U.S. products eligible for export.
St. Lucia, effective date April 27:
Suspended import of fresh and frozen pork, live pigs and swine semen.
Thailand, effective April 27:
Suspension covers all U.S. states and Mexico, and covers all products including meat (fresh, chilled, and frozen), offals, live animal, semen, embryos, and hides and skins. However, the ban does not cover processed pork products such as canned foods or food in sealed containers. Product already on the water should not be affected, but any product shipped after April 27 will not be allowed entry.
Ukraine, effective date April 21:
Suspended import of pork, live pigs and products from the entire United States.
Other products of animal origin can be imported under existing regulations if these are accompanied by valid health certificates.
United Arab Emirates, effective date TBA:
Suspended pork from several countries, including the United States. It remains unclear whether transshipments will be allowed.
“Watch list” of countries that have been reported as ready to impose full or partial suspensions:
Albania: some importers have refused pork shipments in anticipation of a ban.
Bahrain: pork from the United States.
Dominican Republic: an announcement was made that pork and live pigs from the United States had been suspended, but that status is now unclear. Seeking further updates on this market.
Ecuador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
El Salvador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
Ghana: pork and pork products from the United States and Mexico.
Jordan: all meat from the United States and Mexico.
Kurdistan Region, Iraq: import of U.S. pork.
Lebanon: all pork and live pigs from outside its borders.
Malaysia: pork from several countries, including the United States.
Nicaragua: pork and live pigs from the United States.
Philippines: all pork from the entire United States and Mexico.
Serbia: import of all U.S. pork meat. There does not appear to be an exemption for heat-treated products.
Additional procedural notes:
South Korea: Korea has issued no trade suspensions for pork imports, but has increased screening and inspection of pork from the United States and Mexico, and has suspended imports only of live swine from North America.
Costa Rica: increased monitoring of pork imports, but no suspension of U.S. products.
Guatemala: no suspension of U.S. products, despite previously announced intentions.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
INFLUENZA UPDATE:
WHO Alert Level Changes; Cases Now Found in 18 U.S. States; Clarifications Sought on Russia Eligibility
Several events have emerged today with regard to influenza-related trade restrictions. The list of official import suspensions and the unofficial “watch list” below have been modified accordingly. While today’s changes in these lists are fairly modest, please direct attention to the new developments and details with regard to Russia. Also please note that despite its earlier announcement, Guatemala no longer plans to impose restrictions on U.S. imports.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the disease alert to Level 5 and suggested that all countries immediately activate pandemic preparedness plans. It is not yet clear, however, whether this change in alert level will trigger any additional restrictions on trade, travel or commerce. More information on this issue can be found online.
More U.S. states – Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina, Colorado, Kentucky, Delaware, Minnesota, Nebraska, Georgia and New Jersey – have joined the list with confirmed influenza cases, bringing the total number of these states to 18. While it is not yet clear how this development will affect trade suspensions imposed on specific states, it is assumed that restrictions already placed on California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas will be expanded to include these states.
In an effort to minimize the scope and length of these import suspensions, USMEF continues to provide product safety information to public health and trade officials in international markets, as well as importers, retailers and other trade representatives, and international media.
Further information will be posted at www.usmef.org as it becomes available. In the meantime, members may contact USMEF at 303-623-6328 with any questions regarding market closures. Please bear in mind that a large portion of the market closure information is still unconfirmed and unofficial, even though it may be appearing in news reports.
Official import suspensions:
Bolivia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of U.S. pork and pork products.
China, effective April 26:
Suspension of all pork and pork product imports from California, Texas, Kansas, New York and Ohio, as well as Mexico. Transshipments through these states are also ineligible for shipment to China as of April 27.
Croatia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of pork and live swine from North America and South America.
Honduras, effective April 24:
Suspension of all fresh pork products from the United States and Mexico. Cooked and processed pork meat allowed if cooked to 68ºC for 30 minutes or 71ºC for 3 minutes.
Indonesia, effective date TBA:
Suspended imports of all pork and swine from outside its borders.
Kazakhstan, effective date April 28:
Suspended pork imports fromTexas, California and Kansas, but is expected to extend this ban to other affected states as well.
Russia, effective date of slaughter April 21:
- Suspension of all non-heat-treated meat — regardless of the species of origin — from animals raised or slaughtered in Texas, California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Mexico.
- Suspension of non-heat-treated pork from animals raised or slaughtered in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Florida, as well as from the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador.
Additional notes:
- Documents from Russia define "heat-treated" as "80ºC for at least 30 minutes."
- Effective April 26, Russia also banned "passenger baggage" and catering materials from all species including heat-treated poultry meat, pork and beef from animals raised or slaughtered in the states of Texas, California, Ohio, New York, and Kansas. This ban is for passengers luggage and in-flight catering of aerial vehicles and sea vessels arriving from (or those that visited or landed in airports in) these states.
- Russia has not prohibited transshipments through the suspended states. However, because meat from animals raised or slaughtered in any of these states is included in the ban, it is unclear how successful any U.S. products will be in achieving eligibility for shipment to Russia. USMEF and trade officials are working to clarify this situation and determine the source verification or other documentation necessary to make U.S. products eligible for export.
St. Lucia, effective date April 27:
Suspended import of fresh and frozen pork, live pigs and swine semen.
Thailand, effective April 27:
Suspension covers all U.S. states and Mexico, and covers all products including meat (fresh, chilled, and frozen), offals, live animal, semen, embryos, and hides and skins. However, the ban does not cover processed pork products such as canned foods or food in sealed containers. Product already on the water should not be affected, but any product shipped after April 27 will not be allowed entry.
Ukraine, effective date April 21:
Suspended import of pork, live pigs and products from the entire United States.
Other products of animal origin can be imported under existing regulations if these are accompanied by valid health certificates.
United Arab Emirates, effective date TBA:
Suspended pork from several countries, including the United States. It remains unclear whether transshipments will be allowed.
“Watch list” of countries that have been reported as ready to impose full or partial suspensions:
Albania: some importers have refused pork shipments in anticipation of a ban.
Bahrain: pork from the United States.
Dominican Republic: an announcement was made that pork and live pigs from the United States had been suspended, but that status is now unclear. Seeking further updates on this market.
Ecuador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
El Salvador: pork and live pigs from the United States and Mexico.
Ghana: pork and pork products from the United States and Mexico.
Jordan: all meat from the United States and Mexico.
Kurdistan Region, Iraq: import of U.S. pork.
Lebanon: all pork and live pigs from outside its borders.
Malaysia: pork from several countries, including the United States.
Nicaragua: pork and live pigs from the United States.
Philippines: all pork from the entire United States and Mexico.
Serbia: import of all U.S. pork meat. There does not appear to be an exemption for heat-treated products.
Additional procedural notes:
South Korea: Korea has issued no trade suspensions for pork imports, but has increased screening and inspection of pork from the United States and Mexico, and has suspended imports only of live swine from North America.
Costa Rica: increased monitoring of pork imports, but no suspension of U.S. products.
Guatemala: no suspension of U.S. products, despite previously announced intentions.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.