Thread: New rules imposed on Mexican poultry

Monday, April 25, 2011

New rules imposed on Mexican poultry

SAN DIEGO -- Effective immediately, regulations regarding bringing cooked poultry -- such as chicken and turkey -- meat, including deli-sliced poultry meat, and cooked, hard-boiled eggs into the U.S. from Mexico are changing.

USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service is implementing new requirements for processed (including cooked) poultry meat and cooked, hard-boiled eggs brought by passengers arriving from regions where APHIS considers exotic Newcastle disease to exist. Currently, Mexico is a country recognized by APHIS as being affected by END.

Officials are urging travelers to be aware of the new requirements, and to always declare all food items to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers when crossing the border.

According to the new requirements, processed poultry meat brought by passengers arriving from Mexico must be accompanied by government certification confirming that the meat was cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius, or a USDA APHIS Veterinary Services import permit. Thoroughly cooked eggs from Mexican states other than Sinaloa and Sonora must now be accompanied by a VS import permit.

Poultry meat and eggs importations presented without the required certification will be seized by Customs and Border Protection officers or refused entry.

Failure to declare prohibited agricultural items can result in civil penalties. Penalties for personal importations of undeclared, prohibited agricultural items, depending on the severity of the violation, can run as high as $1,000; and up to more than $250,000 for commercial importations.

For further information, please call Poultry and Egg News at 770-536-2476 to subscribe.

http://www.poultryandeggnews.com/poultr ... 7962.shtml

We can't keep the Mexican people, their drugs or the Mexican Swine Flu out of the country.

Good luck keeping the chickens and eggs out.