Bird flu hits world's largest poultry exporter Brazil
Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, has confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm, triggering a country-wide trade ban from China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers.
The outbreak in southern Brazil was identified at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Vibra and Tyson did not immediately respond to questions.
Vibra has 15 processing plants in Brazil and exports to more than 60 countries, according to its website.
Brazil exported $US10 billion ($A16 billion) of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35 per cent of global trade.
Much of that came from meat processors BRF and JBS, which ship to 150 countries.
China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the main destinations for Brazil's chicken exports.
Brazil's Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said on Friday China had banned poultry imports from the country for 60 days.
Under agreements with Japan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, he said a trade ban would only restrict shipments from the affected state and, eventually, just the municipality in question.
Your avian influenza update for the month of March 2025: - In March 2025, 142 outbreaks in poultry and 214 outbreaks in wild and non-poultry birds and mammals were reported across the Americas, Asia, and Europe.- Around 5.6 million poultry birds died or were culled, mostly in… pic.twitter.com/btewKKA6Oi— World Organisation for Animal Health (@WOAH) April 28, 2025
The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the farm ministry said.
The state accounts for 15 per cent of Brazilian poultry production and exports, pork and poultry group ABPA said in July 2024.
BRF has five processing plants operating in the state.
JBS has also invested in local chicken processing plants under its Seara brand.
State officials said the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu is already responsible for the death of 17,000 farm chickens, either directly from the disease or due to cautionary culling.
Veterinary officials are isolating the area of the outbreak in Montenegro and hunting for more cases in an initial 10km radius, the state agricultural secretariat said.
Favaro, the farm minister, said Brazil was working to contain the outbreak and negotiate a loosening of trade restrictions faster than the two months agreed in protocols.
"If we manage to eliminate the outbreak, we think it's possible to re-establish a normal trade flow before the 60 days are up, including with China," Favaro said in an interview aired on CNN Brasil.
Chicken products shipped by Thursday will not be affected by trade restrictions, he added.
The ministry said in a statement that it was officially notifying the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Bird flu has swept through the US poultry industry since 2022, killing about 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, severely affecting production of meat and eggs.
Bird flu has also infected nearly 70 people in the US, with one death, since 2024.
Most of those infections have been among farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cows.
The further spread of the disease raises the risk that bird flu could become more transmissible to humans.
By contrast, Argentina was able to isolate a February 2023 outbreak and start resuming exports slowly the next month.
"All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies," Brazil's poultry industry group ABPA said in a statement.
JBS referred questions about the outbreak to ABPA.
BRF CEO Miguel Gularte told analysts on an earnings call that he was confident Brazilian health protocols were robust and the situation would be quickly overcome.
Brazil, which exported more than five million metric tonnes of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states.
The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the Agriculture Ministry said.
"The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption," the ministry said.
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ABC News
30-05-2025
- ABC News
Authorities try to protect Australia's vulnerable wildlife as H5N1 bird flu approaches
Karl Hillyard is a busy man. As the South Australian Department for the Environment and Water's bird flu preparedness coordinator, he has been working with colleagues across the country and the world to prepare for the arrival of the H5N1 bird flu in Australia. The flu has had a devastating effect on birds and wildlife across much of the world, but has not yet reached Australia or New Zealand. However, it has been identified in most of the seal species in Antarctica. Dr Hillyard said he had a soft spot for the common and sometimes maligned ibis, but much of his work at the Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills was for the protection of rare birds. He said planning could be difficult when dealing with an evolving situation which had affected "mind-boggling" numbers of water birds and marine mammals. "Overseas in wildlife, there are some really tragic stories and impacts on particularly vulnerable and threatened species," Dr Hillyard said. A trial has started in the US to see if a vaccine against the flu has been effective in protecting the rare California condor. Research has also been carried out by the CSIRO to see if the vaccine could be used in small Australian bird species. Meanwhile, the first line of defence at Cleland will be social distancing of a sort, by making sure captive birds at the park are kept separate from wild birds as much as possible. Dr Hillyard said the "tyranny of distance" had protected Australia so far. "Effectively, sick birds, sick animals are going to struggle to make it here," he said. "And that's really sad. "But it's also what's probably been helping us out so far in Australia." He said work was also being done to assess where the virus might first arrive in South Australia. Wayne Boardman, from the University of Adelaide, said the virus had taken a circuitous route around the world since emerging in China in 1996. He said more wild bird and mammal deaths became apparent in Europe after a 2020 mutation which had spread to Africa and then North and South America. Dr Boardman said the virus would "almost certainly" arrive in Australia at some stage, potentially via islands in the sub-Antarctic or by migratory birds coming through the shorebird flyways from China and Southeast Asia. Dr Boardman said the virus had already caused a devastating loss of Peruvian pelicans and sandwich terns in Europe, and had occurred in more than 500 species of birds and more than 60 species of mammals. "We hope that these species will recover in time, but it could be that the virus is going to circulate for some time and will continue to cause mortality over the next five, 10, 15 years," he said. Dr Boardman said there were concerns that the disease could affect endangered species to the point where recovery would take a long time or could even lead to extinction. One of Dr Boardman's biggest concerns was for the remaining Australian sea lion population, which numbered less than 14,000 and lived mainly around South Australia's coastline. Dr Boardman's concern for the sealions is shared by Independent Member of the Legislative Council, Tammy Franks. Ms Franks has called for the state government to co-fund a field research station in the Coorong, where many thousands of migratory birds arrived each year. She said a 2024 outbreak of avian cholera in the wetland was only able to be confirmed because a fisherman delivered fresh carcasses to biosecurity officers within hours of the birds' death, when useful test samples could still be extracted. She said without the ability to sample and test on the ground in the Coorong, the opportunity to identify the arrival of avian flu could be missed. Coorong Environment Trust Board member Faith Coleman said a suitable property for a laboratory facility was available at Woods Well, on the banks of the south lagoon. She estimated the total cost of purchasing and establishing the facility would be about $1 million. "They [the state government] would only need to contribute a portion," she said. "It would be really helpful if they could meet us halfway." The Minister for the Environment and Water has been contacted for a response.
ABC News
17-05-2025
- ABC News
The deadly H5N1 bird flu has jumped species in Antarctica. It's getting closer to 'pandemic potential'
Australia is "surrounded" by the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. And it is morphing as sea animals and birds bring it ever closer to these shores. Warning: This story contains images that may upset some readers. Soaking up the Antarctic summer sun, a herd of crabeater seals lay oblivious to the impending threat. The killer virus that infiltrated Earth's most remote ecosystem continues to jump between animals, leaving a trail of death and devastation in its wake. Dead young southern elephant seals and king penguins on Possession Island, Crozet archipelago, October, 2024. ( Supplied: Jérémy Tornos/Mathilde Lejeune/CNRS/IPEV ) Fifteen species have been detected with the virus in the region so far, from flying seabirds to penguins. Now, a disturbing revelation. A dead elephant seal on the shore. ( Supplied: Jérémy Tornos/Mathilde Lejeune/CNRS/IPEV ) The virus is now attacking pinnipeds — or as we know them, seals. "We've definitely now had detections in most of the seal species in Antarctica," said Dr Meagan Dewar, who recently returned from her fourth research expedition to the continent this year. "Other teams found Antarctic fur seals and elephant seals are heavily impacted, crabeater seals and Weddell seals have also died from the virus, and some leopard seals were detected as well." A bird pecks at a dead baby seal. ( Supplied: Dr Michelle Wille ) From Antarctica's plagued peninsula to previously untouched archipelagos, the infamous highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu has now moved across thousands of kilometres of ocean and settled in new locations and colonies. "It's quite hard to see a lot of these species dying, or already dead," Dr Dewar told 7.30. skua in the snow. ( Supplied: Dr Michelle Wille ) An Antarctic giant petrel devours a penguin chick. ( Supplied: Dr Michelle Wille ) The H5N1 bird flu has infected pinnipeds. ( Supplied: Jérémy Tornos/Mathilde Lejeune/CNRS/IPEV ) Many animals experience respiratory distress before they die. ( Supplied: Dr Michelle Wille ) Virus Ecologist Dr Michelle Wille said the impacts on the animals before death are shocking. "It's really targeting the brains of these animals," she said. "Animals are having neurological [symptoms], and that's not just the marine mammals like the elephant seals, that's the birds too," she explained. "Some of the sea lions are having really big respiratory distress, they're really struggling to breathe, and they are dying in large numbers. "To see the number of sick animals in distress, and dead animals, is very confronting." Through her work with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research Dr Dewar was one of the first scientists to detect the virus in the region after its jump from South America in 2023, spread by scavenging birds. Dr Meagan Dewar was among the team that detected highly pathogenic avian flu for the first time in Antarctica more than a year ago. ( Supplied: Dr Meagan Dewar ) Dr Dewar returned to the icy continent this year. ( Supplied: Dr Meagan Dewar ) There were fears bird flu would have wiped out entire penguin colonies following Antarctica's harsh winter. ( Supplied: Dr Michelle Wille ) When Dr Dewar returned this year to track the evolution of the frigid continent's first outbreak, she expected to see "hundreds, if not thousands" of dead penguins, but that was not the case. Scientists are concerned that penguins could now be asymptomatic carriers, noting that the virus "is not spreading the way we thought it would". As H5N1 continues to march across the Southern Ocean, there are concerns that Antarctic seals are now also spreading the virus, adding a new layer of complexity and putting the deep south's mammalian population at greater risk. "The only consistency with avian influenza is that it is unpredictable," Dr Wille told 7.30. "It just keeps surprising us, and it keeps doing things that we didn't think would happen." "There's an arms race, of sorts — the host is always trying to find a way to evade the virus, and the virus is always evolving new ways to infect the host," Dr Dewar said. Employing the same tools and processes used to track COVID-19, Dr Wille is now testing hundreds of samples taken from skuas, penguins and seals at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne. The work will take months but is crucial for confirming where and how high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) is spreading through the continent. Samples were collected in Antarctica over nine weeks. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Virus Ecologist Dr Michelle Wille uses the same processes as those used to track COVID-19. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Dr Wille says their initial findings suggest the virus "is all in the same places as it was last year," but noted other groups had identified cases "really far away" from the original detection point, proving it's on the move. Even more concerning is the potential that some species may be able to carry the virus asymptomatically — remaining healthy enough to travel vast distances while infectious. There are concerns penguins could be asymptomatic carriers of H5N1. ( Supplied: Dr Meagan Dewar ) Adèlie penguin chick with a mohawk in Antarctica. ( Supplied: Dr Meagan Dewar ) A springboard into Australia The virus's jump to the sub-Antarctic archipelagos of Crozet and Kerguelen is a remarkable example of just that. The strain detected on Kerguelen was determined to have originated 7,000 kilometres away, at the South Georgia Islands. A French team of researchers reported H5N1 in late 2024, describing "unprecedented and alarming mortalities of southern elephant seals", noting King penguins, Gentoo penguins, brown skuas were also among the casualties. From Kerguelen, Australia's remote Heard and McDonald Islands are less than 500 km away, and richly biodiverse with an array of potential new hosts. If the virus makes that jump, the next incursion could be direct to the mainland. The Australian Antarctic Division told 7.30 it is sending a research vessel to those islands later this year, but in the absence of eyes on the ground, what's happening there and in many parts of Antarctica remains a dangerous unknown. It is feared a localised outbreak is already underway. "There's a lot of areas where we just don't know if bird flu has hit there or if it hasn't — and to what scale that effect is," Dr Dewar said. "And from Heard and McDonald, it's only a short distance to Macquarie Island and the New Zealand sub-Antarctic islands as well." The other probable pathway for the virus to enter Australia is from the north, with long-distance migratory birds returning from the northern hemisphere in spring, stopping in H5N1 hotspots along the way. "It's a concerning situation — we're basically surrounded by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza now," Dr Wille said. Her research suggests an incursion is an inevitable matter of 'when' not 'if'." How ready are we? While different avian flu strains are already in Australia, none are as dangerous as the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b. Its genomic properties allow it to keep jumping species. It has recently infected cats, dolphins, pigs, sheep, and humans. Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Beth Cookson confirmed the risk to Australia has increased. "That's due to the number of different bird species that can now be affected by the strain and potentially disperse it [domestically] over longer distances," Dr Cookson said. Currently, not much is known about the scale of bird flu in Antarctica. ( Supplied: Australian Antarctic Division ) Dr Cookson told 7.30 that the Australian government has ramped up its surveillance and preparedness across all sectors. More than $100 million has been committed to preparing for an incursion, focussing on agriculture, health, and environment sectors. The government is also updating its Avian Influenza Plan after a desktop simulation found shortcomings in agency and department responses. "Our level of preparedness has really escalated," Dr Cookson said. "We've got well-established emergency response arrangements … and we've tested those recently through the H7 outbreaks of 2024 and 2025," referring to the epizootic that crippled production at several Australian egg and poultry farms. A quarantine area sign is attached to a tree at a quarantine zone after an outbreak of bird flu in Victoria. ( AAP/Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action ) An outbreak of the H7 bird flu crippled production at several Australian egg and poultry farms. ( ABC News: Morgan Timms ) Farms under quarantine restrictions due to positive cases of the HPAI H7N8 strain of avian influenza being detected. ( ABC News: Marcus Stimson ) The goal is early detection and containment. But for all the planning, one reality remains. "Once this H5 avian influenza virus is in wild bird populations, there are limited options available to prevent or limit the spread," she said. And while no one knows what it will mean for our endemic animals — marsupials like koalas and kangaroos, and mammalian sea animals including the Australian fur seal — there are genuine fears that already endangered species could be wiped out. "We also have to be cognisant of the human health risks," Dr Cookson said. 'Pandemic potential' Since 2020, there have been 112 human cases, including an Australian toddler who contracted the virus while visiting India before making a full recovery. Other countries where cases have been recorded include Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and India, a few in Europe, as well as the United Kingdom, South America, Canada and Mexico. But almost two-thirds have occurred in the United States this past year. Person-to-person spread isn't considered an issue yet but scientists argue the virus is one mutation away from 'pandemic potential'. In its latest Avian Flu assessment, the World Health Organization said vigilance and testing is "warranted" in pigs, as they "act as mixing vessels for genetic re-assortment of avian and human influenza viruses, potentially creating new strains with pandemic potential." Dr Wille says in the US context, it is concerning that there are so many cases in dairy cattle because we are seeing cow-to-cow transmission. "As there is more spread from mammal to mammal to mammal, there are more opportunities for the virus to get better at infecting mammals," Dr Wille said. Delays in containing the US outbreak have allowed H5N1 to rip through every state. The virus has been detected in millions of poultry and more than 1,000 dairy herds. Americans on the frontline say it is out of control. H5N1 has been detected in more than 1,000 dairy herds across the United States. ( Reuters: Jim Vondruska ) A cow is kept in an isolation pen at a farm in Rockford, Illinois, as a precaution amid the outbreak. ( Reuters: Jim Vondruska ) "This outbreak started in 2022 and we're still in it," explained Dr Kay Russo, a veterinarian consultant who has been on the frontline of the cattle outbreak. "So it feels a little bit hopeless, and that's not a good feeling to have when you don't have the tools you need to get in front of it." Dr Russo says there were "a lot of internal tug of wars" happening between government agencies in the US, which significantly delayed the response and allowed the virus to spread. She also suspects many cases in migrant dairy workers are going unreported, for fear they'll lose their jobs or be deported — which could lead to the first human-to-human outbreak going unseen. "We are in the throes of the worst animal disease outbreak that our country, and perhaps the world, has ever seen. "But I think what we've learned, and what flu continues to teach us, is to expect the unexpected." Credits Reporter: Tom Hartley Producer: Richard Mockler Photos and videos: Dr Meagan Dewar, Dr Michelle Wille, Australian Antarctic Division Digital production: Jenny Ky Editor: Paul Johnson Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV
The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Bird flu hits world's largest poultry exporter Brazil
Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, has confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm, triggering a country-wide trade ban from China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers. The outbreak in southern Brazil was identified at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods, according to two people familiar with the matter. Vibra and Tyson did not immediately respond to questions. Vibra has 15 processing plants in Brazil and exports to more than 60 countries, according to its website. Brazil exported $US10 billion ($A16 billion) of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35 per cent of global trade. Much of that came from meat processors BRF and JBS, which ship to 150 countries. China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the main destinations for Brazil's chicken exports. Brazil's Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said on Friday China had banned poultry imports from the country for 60 days. Under agreements with Japan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, he said a trade ban would only restrict shipments from the affected state and, eventually, just the municipality in question. The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the farm ministry said. The state accounts for 15 per cent of Brazilian poultry production and exports, pork and poultry group ABPA said in July 2024. BRF has five processing plants operating in the state. JBS has also invested in local chicken processing plants under its Seara brand. State officials said the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu is already responsible for the death of 17,000 farm chickens, either directly from the disease or due to cautionary culling. Veterinary officials are isolating the area of the outbreak in Montenegro and hunting for more cases in an initial 10km radius, the state agricultural secretariat said. Favaro, the farm minister, said Brazil was working to contain the outbreak and negotiate a loosening of trade restrictions faster than the two months agreed in protocols. "If we manage to eliminate the outbreak, we think it's possible to re-establish a normal trade flow before the 60 days are up, including with China," Favaro said in an interview aired on CNN Brasil. Chicken products shipped by Thursday will not be affected by trade restrictions, he added. The ministry said in a statement that it was officially notifying the World Organisation for Animal Health. Bird flu has swept through the US poultry industry since 2022, killing about 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, severely affecting production of meat and eggs. Bird flu has also infected nearly 70 people in the US, with one death, since 2024. Most of those infections have been among farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cows. The further spread of the disease raises the risk that bird flu could become more transmissible to humans. By contrast, Argentina was able to isolate a February 2023 outbreak and start resuming exports slowly the next month. "All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies," Brazil's poultry industry group ABPA said in a statement. JBS referred questions about the outbreak to ABPA. BRF CEO Miguel Gularte told analysts on an earnings call that he was confident Brazilian health protocols were robust and the situation would be quickly overcome. Brazil, which exported more than five million metric tonnes of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states. The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the Agriculture Ministry said. "The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption," the ministry said. Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, has confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm, triggering a country-wide trade ban from China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers. The outbreak in southern Brazil was identified at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods, according to two people familiar with the matter. Vibra and Tyson did not immediately respond to questions. Vibra has 15 processing plants in Brazil and exports to more than 60 countries, according to its website. Brazil exported $US10 billion ($A16 billion) of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35 per cent of global trade. Much of that came from meat processors BRF and JBS, which ship to 150 countries. China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the main destinations for Brazil's chicken exports. Brazil's Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said on Friday China had banned poultry imports from the country for 60 days. Under agreements with Japan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, he said a trade ban would only restrict shipments from the affected state and, eventually, just the municipality in question. The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the farm ministry said. The state accounts for 15 per cent of Brazilian poultry production and exports, pork and poultry group ABPA said in July 2024. BRF has five processing plants operating in the state. JBS has also invested in local chicken processing plants under its Seara brand. State officials said the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu is already responsible for the death of 17,000 farm chickens, either directly from the disease or due to cautionary culling. Veterinary officials are isolating the area of the outbreak in Montenegro and hunting for more cases in an initial 10km radius, the state agricultural secretariat said. Favaro, the farm minister, said Brazil was working to contain the outbreak and negotiate a loosening of trade restrictions faster than the two months agreed in protocols. "If we manage to eliminate the outbreak, we think it's possible to re-establish a normal trade flow before the 60 days are up, including with China," Favaro said in an interview aired on CNN Brasil. Chicken products shipped by Thursday will not be affected by trade restrictions, he added. The ministry said in a statement that it was officially notifying the World Organisation for Animal Health. Bird flu has swept through the US poultry industry since 2022, killing about 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, severely affecting production of meat and eggs. Bird flu has also infected nearly 70 people in the US, with one death, since 2024. Most of those infections have been among farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cows. The further spread of the disease raises the risk that bird flu could become more transmissible to humans. By contrast, Argentina was able to isolate a February 2023 outbreak and start resuming exports slowly the next month. "All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies," Brazil's poultry industry group ABPA said in a statement. JBS referred questions about the outbreak to ABPA. BRF CEO Miguel Gularte told analysts on an earnings call that he was confident Brazilian health protocols were robust and the situation would be quickly overcome. Brazil, which exported more than five million metric tonnes of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states. The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the Agriculture Ministry said. "The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption," the ministry said. Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, has confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm, triggering a country-wide trade ban from China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers. The outbreak in southern Brazil was identified at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods, according to two people familiar with the matter. Vibra and Tyson did not immediately respond to questions. Vibra has 15 processing plants in Brazil and exports to more than 60 countries, according to its website. Brazil exported $US10 billion ($A16 billion) of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35 per cent of global trade. Much of that came from meat processors BRF and JBS, which ship to 150 countries. China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the main destinations for Brazil's chicken exports. Brazil's Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said on Friday China had banned poultry imports from the country for 60 days. Under agreements with Japan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, he said a trade ban would only restrict shipments from the affected state and, eventually, just the municipality in question. The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the farm ministry said. The state accounts for 15 per cent of Brazilian poultry production and exports, pork and poultry group ABPA said in July 2024. BRF has five processing plants operating in the state. JBS has also invested in local chicken processing plants under its Seara brand. State officials said the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu is already responsible for the death of 17,000 farm chickens, either directly from the disease or due to cautionary culling. Veterinary officials are isolating the area of the outbreak in Montenegro and hunting for more cases in an initial 10km radius, the state agricultural secretariat said. Favaro, the farm minister, said Brazil was working to contain the outbreak and negotiate a loosening of trade restrictions faster than the two months agreed in protocols. "If we manage to eliminate the outbreak, we think it's possible to re-establish a normal trade flow before the 60 days are up, including with China," Favaro said in an interview aired on CNN Brasil. Chicken products shipped by Thursday will not be affected by trade restrictions, he added. The ministry said in a statement that it was officially notifying the World Organisation for Animal Health. Bird flu has swept through the US poultry industry since 2022, killing about 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, severely affecting production of meat and eggs. Bird flu has also infected nearly 70 people in the US, with one death, since 2024. Most of those infections have been among farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cows. The further spread of the disease raises the risk that bird flu could become more transmissible to humans. By contrast, Argentina was able to isolate a February 2023 outbreak and start resuming exports slowly the next month. "All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies," Brazil's poultry industry group ABPA said in a statement. JBS referred questions about the outbreak to ABPA. BRF CEO Miguel Gularte told analysts on an earnings call that he was confident Brazilian health protocols were robust and the situation would be quickly overcome. Brazil, which exported more than five million metric tonnes of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states. The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the Agriculture Ministry said. "The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption," the ministry said. Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, has confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm, triggering a country-wide trade ban from China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers. The outbreak in southern Brazil was identified at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods, according to two people familiar with the matter. Vibra and Tyson did not immediately respond to questions. Vibra has 15 processing plants in Brazil and exports to more than 60 countries, according to its website. Brazil exported $US10 billion ($A16 billion) of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35 per cent of global trade. Much of that came from meat processors BRF and JBS, which ship to 150 countries. China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the main destinations for Brazil's chicken exports. Brazil's Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said on Friday China had banned poultry imports from the country for 60 days. Under agreements with Japan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, he said a trade ban would only restrict shipments from the affected state and, eventually, just the municipality in question. The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the farm ministry said. The state accounts for 15 per cent of Brazilian poultry production and exports, pork and poultry group ABPA said in July 2024. BRF has five processing plants operating in the state. JBS has also invested in local chicken processing plants under its Seara brand. State officials said the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu is already responsible for the death of 17,000 farm chickens, either directly from the disease or due to cautionary culling. Veterinary officials are isolating the area of the outbreak in Montenegro and hunting for more cases in an initial 10km radius, the state agricultural secretariat said. Favaro, the farm minister, said Brazil was working to contain the outbreak and negotiate a loosening of trade restrictions faster than the two months agreed in protocols. "If we manage to eliminate the outbreak, we think it's possible to re-establish a normal trade flow before the 60 days are up, including with China," Favaro said in an interview aired on CNN Brasil. Chicken products shipped by Thursday will not be affected by trade restrictions, he added. The ministry said in a statement that it was officially notifying the World Organisation for Animal Health. Bird flu has swept through the US poultry industry since 2022, killing about 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, severely affecting production of meat and eggs. Bird flu has also infected nearly 70 people in the US, with one death, since 2024. Most of those infections have been among farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cows. The further spread of the disease raises the risk that bird flu could become more transmissible to humans. By contrast, Argentina was able to isolate a February 2023 outbreak and start resuming exports slowly the next month. "All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies," Brazil's poultry industry group ABPA said in a statement. JBS referred questions about the outbreak to ABPA. BRF CEO Miguel Gularte told analysts on an earnings call that he was confident Brazilian health protocols were robust and the situation would be quickly overcome. Brazil, which exported more than five million metric tonnes of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states. The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the Agriculture Ministry said. "The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption," the ministry said.
