(Washington, DC) — Colombia has become the first country to restrict the import of U.S. beef due to cows testing positive for bird flu.
The USDA announced on its website this week that the South American country is banning fresh and frozen beef products from cattle slaughtered in eight U.S. states where dairy cows have tested positive for the avian influenza. Those states include Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas.
When reached for comment on this news, USDA provided a statement from an unnamed spokesperson that said “USDA continues to maintain its robust surveillance system that is designed to mitigate the spread of animal diseases, thereby protecting public health, and maintaining a safe food supply, including for meat, for domestic and international markets. USDA’s HPAI emergency response guidelines are available online at the APHIS website. USDA remains committed to open and transparent communication about all developments related to the HPAI situation.”
Earlier in the week, the USDA said starting Monday, April 29th, 2024, it will require all dairy cattle being moved between states to be tested for bird flu, which has been found in 33 dairy herds across the U.S. since late March.
No U.S. beef cattle, so far, have tested positive for bird flu.
