Agriculture: ban on imports from the United States due to avian flu only covers counties

The Ministry of Agriculture reported this Friday that the ban imposed by the Dominican Republic on imports from the United States of poultry products, as a measure to prevent the entry of bird flu into the Dominican Republic, only affects counties that are affected by the disease and not full states. The institution reported that some time ago (although it did not specify from what date) the ban was reduced to only the counties affected by bird flu and does not involve the entire United States. Agriculture added that imports are also allowed from farms that, according to the United States livestock authorities, are free of the disease and more than 50 kilometers from a detected source.

The entity made the specifications in response to concerns expressed by international fast food franchises in the Dominican Republic that request that the measure not be applied to the entire United States because it would generate losses since they import chicken meat from that country for their menu. “It seems that there is some kind of confusion because a communication was sent from the Livestock Directorate to the United States Embassy some time ago, and in that communication, it is reported that we lowered the State ban that was imposed on counties a while ago,” Agriculture told Diario Libre. 

“Also measures were taken regarding the traceability of backyard birds. Those are not allowed. But in farms that are free, according to the United States livestock authorities, importation is allowed, and those that are further 50 kilometers from a detected source,” they said. They added that “there is no ban that covers the state, but rather it is focused on the affected counties.”