Update on Avian Influenza in Michigan

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the final test results August 28, 2006 on the two wild mute swans from Michigan State. Final tests from the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa confirm preliminary test results reported August 14, 2006 that the strain is a low pathogenic subtype.

Only one of the samples contained high enough levels of the virus to conduct confirmatory testing. The Departments of Agriculture and Interior are working collaboratively with States to sample wild birds throughout the US for the presesnce of highly pathogenic avian flu.
Source: USDA APHIS

Venezuela

Approximately 80% of Venezuela's poultry production is concentrated in the central and southwestern states of Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda, and Zulia. Most of the poultry industry is vertically integrated as many smaller companies have been acquired by larger ones, due to increasing production costs and price controls at the retail level.

Despite these challenges, forecasts for 2006 and 2007 predict Venezuela's poultry production to increase 6% and 9% respectively. These increases are attributed to a rise in consumer demand, due to higher disposable incomes and the effect the Government of Venezuela (GOV) had by expanding its poultry purchases. Poultry meat import projections for Venezuela expect imports to grow by 20% and 25% in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The GOV carries out all poultry imports, which are mostly from Brazil. It is predicted poultry meat imports could continue to grow as Venezuela has recently joined Mercosur as a full member, however estimates have not been made as Mercosur trade preferences for Venezuela are unclear yet.
Source: USDA FAS

Russia

At present, the U.S. is the only country that stands in the way of Russia being approved to the WTO. The biggest obstacle that undermined the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg in July of 2006 dealt with Russia wanting veterinary control over supplies of American poultry to which American negotiators objected. The next round of negotiations is set for the end of October 2006 in Geneva, Switzerland. Russia has been negotiating to join the WTO since 1993.

In early August of 2006 in a letter from Russian Economic Minister German Gref to U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab, Russia announced its intentions to "return to the position that existed before the understandings on meat trade until Russia's accession to the WTO" should Russia not be accepted. On August 21, 2006 Russian authorities announced its plans to follow through as Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeev has proposed a redistribution of quotas for poultry imports from the U.S. to other suppliers. According to sources, the 'resolution will be prepared and signed within 10 days'.

Under a deal signed in 2005 between the U.S. and Russia, the U.S. was allotted 811,900 tons out of 1.09 million tons of poultry meat to ship to Russia in 2005 at a discounted tariff. U.S. imports were to increase to 931,500 tons in 2009.
Source: USDA AMS/USDA FAS/Various News Wires

To view the full report, including tables please click here

ThePoultrySite News Desk