Skip to content

Don't count your chickens until they're hatched. Or import them raw

SooToday readers have let us know that border officials on the Canadian side of the International Bridge have lately been screening travellers for U.S.-bought raw chicken and eggs due to avian flu concerns.

SooToday readers have let us know that border officials on the Canadian side of the International Bridge have lately been screening travellers for U.S.-bought raw chicken and eggs due to avian flu concerns.

We did a bit of looking around and turned up the following notice posted on the Canada Border Services Agency website earlier in the month:

"Due to the discovery of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the United States, all raw poultry and all poultry products and by-products that are not fully cooked, including eggs and raw pet foods, sourced, processed, packaged or shipped from several U.S. states are prohibited from entry into Canada until further notice.

For more information visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Web site."

From the Canadian Food Inspection Agency:

*************************
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been discovered in the USA, most recently in Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The CFIA advisory to travellers has been updated to reflect this information.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has implemented measures to protect Canada's poultry resources from an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza reported in poultry in the following states:

  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin

Travellers should know that, 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 states are under restriction until further notice.

You may not bring these items into Canada.

These measures are a normal part of Canada's animal disease control efforts and are consistent with international guidelines on trade.

Examples of restricted items include:

  • 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

Commercial imports are restricted from the specific quarantine zones within these states until further notice.

Live pet birds may be brought into Canada with official certification from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Contact the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for more information on the restricted areas.

Commercial importers should refer to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) for more information on restricted 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.

*************************


What's next?


If you would like to apply to become a Verified reader Verified Commenter, please fill out this form.