January 26, 2024

US senators urge USDA to re-evaluate trade agreements amid avian influenza outbreaks

In a recent request to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, South Dakota's senators, Mike Rounds and John Thune, have called for a re-examination of trade agreements to accommodate the potential use of avian influenza vaccines in poultry, University of Minnesota CIDRAP reported.

The existing trade policies, both in the US and many other nations, currently prohibit the import of poultry that has been vaccinated in commercial settings. The USDA's recent restrictions on the import of poultry from France, stemming from its decision to vaccinate meat ducks against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), exemplify the stringent regulations.

While some countries, like China, routinely employ poultry vaccination against HPAI, others remain hesitant, expressing concerns that the vaccine might obscure ongoing viral circulation. With the current H5N1 clade causing substantial poultry losses worldwide, producers are actively evaluating all available control measures.

Late last year, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) released a policy brief advocating for a review of existing control strategies due to the rapid spread of the virus. The group endorsed the use of vaccines based on international standards, emphasising that countries can uphold trade while implementing science-based certification measures.

Senators Rounds and Thune pointed out that avian influenza outbreaks have affected 5.3 million birds in South Dakota, resulting in nearly US$1 billion in costs for the federal government. Acknowledging the ongoing vaccine research by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, they expressed hope in the potential benefits of these vaccines but raised concerns about the pace of updating trade agreements in tandem with scientific advancements.

-        University of Minnesota CIDRAP