In a recent move, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers penned a letter to Michael Watson, the Administrator of the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), urging action to redefine poultry within the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) framework.
Led by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), along with Representatives Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) and Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), the effort garnered support from 54 members of Congress.
The letter highlighted the need for WOAH to distinguish between commercial poultry, relevant to international trade, and backyard or wild birds with minimal trade transmission risks. It emphasized a proposal by the United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) over a year ago, suggesting a clearer definition that recognizes non-commercial activities such as neighbors gifting backyard poultry eggs and excludes birds raised for hunting preserves from international trade considerations.
Lawmakers underscored the detrimental impact of the current ambiguous definition on US commercial poultry producers. They pointed out that outdated criteria have led to unwarranted trade disruptions, costing the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in lost exports. Cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in backyard or wild birds, which pose minimal threat to commercial flocks, have prompted unnecessary trade bans.
The letter cited several examples, including China’s ban on 14 US states despite zero active outbreaks, Georgia’s annual poultry industry loss of $300 million due to an isolated incident in a small duck flock, and significant revenue losses in states like North Carolina, Indiana, California, and Arkansas due to trade bans.
In closing, the lawmakers urged the USDA to advocate for the USAHA’s proposed definition change to protect the country’s agricultural competitiveness. They stressed the importance of having fair and up-to-date global animal health rules to provide producers with a level playing field.
Support for the initiative came from various organizations and companies, including the Alabama Contract Poultry Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, and major players in the poultry industry like JBS Foods/Pilgrim’s Pride and Mar-Jac Poultry.
The bipartisan effort underscores the critical need for clarity in defining poultry within international trade frameworks, emphasizing the economic stakes for US producers and the agricultural industry as a whole.
