September 7, 2007

 

USDA amends safety requirements for egg imports

 

 

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a proposed rule to amend the import requirements for eggs from regions where Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) is believed to exist.

 

The rule would exclude hatching eggs and provide a more efficient testing option to determine the END status of flocks producing eggs for export to the US.

 

There are currently two mechanisms for farmers where flocks can be determined to have come from END-free regions.

 

One method requires the placement of sentinel birds in chicken houses, with one per thousand chickens.

 

The second method requires weekly testing of poultry from birds that died in that week and tests performed on at least 10 percent of live birds.

 

These birds must be tested by veterinary authorities from the exporting government and remain free of any of signs of END.

 

As there were problems with the current system, APHIS is proposing to amend the regulations so as to provide for a more efficient testing regime.

 

The new rules would require at least one cull (sick or dead) bird for each 10,000 live birds occupying each poultry house

 

The poultry would be tested at days seven and 14 of the 21-day period for END before the certificate is signed by the veterinary authorities of the exporting country.

 

New APHIS rules would also require exporters to declare on their health certificates that egg drop syndrome (EDS) is notifiable in the region of origin. The declaration must also say there have been no reports of EDS in the flocks of origin, or within a 50 kilometre radius of the flocks, for 90 days prior to export.

 

The new rules are open to comments until 12 October.