Guidance

19 May 2025: Outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Brazil

Updated 19 May 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit or write to the Information Policy Team, »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected].

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at /government/publications/official-veterinary-surgeon-ovs-notes/19-may-2025-outbreak-of-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-in-brazil

OVS note number:  2025/35

Date:  19 May 2025

Purpose

To inform you that imports of the following commodities from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul are suspended due to a recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI):

  • fresh poultry, ratite and wild game bird meat produced on or after 15 May 2025
  • meat products from poultry, ratites and wild game birds that have not been subject to treatment ‘Dâ€� or higher (that is, treatments ‘Dâ€�, ‘Câ€� or ‘Bâ€�, as defined in Annex 1)
  • live poultry and ratites, including day-old chicks
  • hatching eggs of poultry and ratites

Background

In 2023, Defra agreed to recognise regionalisation in Brazil at the federal state level in the event of an outbreak of HPAI.

On 15 May 2025, Brazil confirmed an outbreak of HPAI on a commercial breeding poultry farm in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. As a result, that state has lost its HPAI-free status.

To mitigate against the risk of HPAI, the UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance amended its approved country listings on 19 May 2025 to suspend imports of the following commodities from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul:

  • fresh poultry (POU), ratite (RAT) and wild game bird (WGM) meat produced on or after 15 May 2025
  • meat products of poultry, ratites and wild game birds that have not been subject to specific treatment ‘Dâ€�, ‘Câ€� or ‘Bâ€� (as set out in Annex 1)
  • live poultry and ratites, including day-old chicks (BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, SRP, SRA and LT20)
  • hatching eggs of poultry and ratites (HEP, HER and LT20)

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappse restrictions came into force on 19 May 2025 and are set out in the ‘poultry and poultry productsâ€� and ‘meat productsâ€� lists published here: .

Imports of the commodities listed above from HPAI-free states in Brazil are unaffected by these restrictions and can continue as normal.

Contact point for enquiries

·¡³¾²¹¾±±ô:Ìý[email protected]

Imports and EU Trade Team

Annex 1

Meat products intended for human consumption � acceptable risk mitigating treatments

See ().

B) Treatment in a hermetically sealed container to an Fo value of 3 or more.

C) A minimum temperature of 80°C which must be reached throughout the meat and/or stomachs, bladders and intestines during the processing of the meat product and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines.

D) A minimum temperature of 70°C which must be reached throughout the meat and/or stomachs, bladders and intestines during the processing of meat products and treated stomachs, bladders and intestines.

Back to top