Russia Bans Transit of US Poultry Due to Bird Flu Outbreak

Russia's state agricultural watchdog announced that the ban will come into force on June 10, and will prevent the transport of live birds, eggs and poultry across the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Russian state agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor announced on Tuesday that it was banning the transit of poultry and other bird products from the US due to bird flu, following earlier temporary bans imposed in December and in May on the import of poultry products from the US.

"Taking into account the risks, Rosselkhoznadzor is forced to take additional measures, aimed at the protection of the territory of the Russian Federation from this dangerous disease."

"In connection with this, from June 10, 2015 the movement of live poultry, poultry products and eggs, with the exception of SPF [specific pathogen free] eggs, from the USA through the territory of the Russian Federation is stopped."

According to a statement from the US Department of Agriculture, between December 15, 2014 and May 29, 2015, more than 200 findings were confirmed of birds infected with the H5N2, H5N8, and H5N1 strains of avian flu.

On June 8, authorities in the US state of Michigan said US geese had tested positive for the lethal H5N2 strain of bird flu. Michigan is the 21st US state since late 2014 to confirm a case of bird flu, in the worst outbreak of the disease in US history. In 15 states, the virus has been found in poultry flocks, and more than 46 million chickens and turkeys have been killed by the disease or culled to stop its spread.