November 5, 2008

Australia would accept chicken imports from anywhere under proposed changes to quarantine rules.

Biosecurity Australia (BA), a government agency, recommended the move as long as measures are taken to reduce disease risks to low levels.

In a final import risk analysis, BA said nine diseases required quarantine action before imports could enter – Newcastle Disease, two strains of bird flu, two strains of infectious bursal disease and four types of salmonella.

Exporting countries have to be country or zone-free from these diseases, or heat-treat the meat at specific temperatures for prescribed periods.

Australian Chicken Meat Federation deputy director Dr Vivien Kite said the industry believed the BA had conducted a thorough scientific evaluation. However, the industry said while BA had done a reasonable job in minimising disease risks, it had also failed to act on all of the industry's concerns.