The United States and South Korea, the sixth-largest customer for U.S. farm exports, agreed to limit the trade impact of any outbreaks of deadly avian influenza in the future, announced the USDA. The nations will follow the practice of regionalization, meaning they will apply trade restrictions at the state level rather than nationwide.
When the United States suffered its worst epidemic ever of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2015, South Korea cut off all imports of U.S. poultry and eggs, even though the outbreak was in the Midwest. The ban shut down South Korea’s source of nearly a quarter of its poultry and egg imports. At the same time, U.S. producers lost an important market.
Agriculture Undersecretary Greg Ibach said the new approach “will help keep trade flowing” from areas free of disease.
The 2015 epidemic reduced the production and raised the price of table eggs, and meant less turkey for human consumption.