July 3, 2007

Japan suspends poultry imports from US state of Nebraska

Japan has suspended poultry imports from Nebraska after an outbreak of a less-virulent strain of bird flu at a turkey farm in the state, an Agriculture Ministry official said on Monday (Jul 1). 

Japan imposed the ban after receiving the notification from the US Embassy on Monday about the outbreak of the H7N9 type of bird flu in the state.

US poultry meat accounts for 7.4 percent of Japan's total imported poultry meat of 379,053 tonnes last year.