Canadian AI outbreak prompts trade bans
The United States has suspended imports of live and raw poultry from the Canadian province of British Columbia where an outbreak of avian influenza affected five farms last week.
South Korea, Hong Kong, South Africa, Mexico, Taiwan and Japan have also imposed varying bans on Canadian poultry products due to the outbreak.
The trade restrictions began after the virus was identified as the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain. Over 80,000 turkeys and chickens have been culled so far and the birds on the farms that survived the flu are being destroyed.
According to Statistics Canada, British Columbia exported C$5.8 million ($5.05 million) worth of live fowl and poultry products to the United States in 2013.
Canada and Chile are the two biggest suppliers of imported poultry to the United States, although the country is mostly self-sufficient with 99% of the chicken eaten being hatched, raised and processed in the country.
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