Latest news with #VirulentNewcastle
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why is egg smuggling dangerous? Hatching eggs seized in Louisville
Amid national concerns over the price of eggs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently seized more than three dozen hatching eggs in Louisville in recent weeks, according to a news release. It's nothing new. In 2024, 25 shipments containing 519 eggs were seized in Louisville. Those eggs came from Turkey, Belgium, Romania and Singapore, the release said. And earlier this year, CBP said agents had stopped at least 90 people from smuggling eggs into the country from Mexico during the first two months of 2025. Why is this such a problem? Here's a look at what's been happening. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized the eggs in three shipments in Louisville: A March 6 shipment from Turkey to New York and Nevada. A March 16 shipment also from Turkey and also headed to New York and Nevada. A March 19 shipment from Romania headed to Costa Rica. It is illegal to bring fresh eggs, raw chicken, unprocessed avian products and live birds into the U.S., the CPB said, adding that travelers should declare all agriculture products to customs officers and agriculture specialists. 'Failure to declare may lead to potential fines and penalties,' the agency said. LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, field operations director at the CBP office in Chicago, said the food supply in the US is "constantly at risk to diseases not known to occur in the United States." The seizures help "ensure the United States is safe from harmful diseases," she said in a news release about the Louisville egg seizures. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a reminder that raw egg imports from Mexico are prohibited due to health concerns regarding Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or bird flu. An additional concern about raw eggs being imported from Mexico include the potential transmission of Virulent Newcastle disease or VND, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Egg seizures: Texas customs officers scramble plans, stop at least 90 from smuggling eggs into the US Reporting by USA TODAY showed that as of mid-March, eggs jumped 10.4% in February after a 15.2% rise in January, when seasonally adjusted, according to the latest consumer price index. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average U.S. city prices for a dozen large grade A eggs in recent months were: December 2024: $4.14 January 2025: $4.95 February 2025: $5.90 Courier-Journal staff have been tracking prices for one dozen large grade A eggs. Here's a look at the recent numbers. Feb. 5, $4.19 Feb. 12, $4.99 (limit two per shopper, according to the app) Feb. 19, $5.49 (limit two per shopper, according to the app) Feb. 26, $5.49 (limit two per shopper, according to the app) March 5, $5.49 March 12, $5.49 March 19, $5.99 March 26, $4.99 Feb. 5, $3.87 Feb. 12, $3.87 Feb. 19, $4.99 Feb. 26, $5.53 March 5, $6.53 March 12, $4.97 March 19, $4.97 March 26, $4.97 Feb. 5, $5.46 Feb. 12, $5.46 Feb. 19, $5.97 Feb. 26, $5.97 March 5, $5.97 March 12, $5.97 March 19, $5.97 March 26, $4.97 The cost of eggs has largely been impacted by the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, outbreak, which has led to more than 130 million poultry across the U.S. to be affected, USA TODAY previously reported. The continuing diminishing supply coupled with steady demand has led egg prices to creep up. USA TODAY reporter Betty Lin-Fisher contributed. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why is egg smuggling dangerous?
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Egg product seizures are outpacing fentanyl stopped at the border
As the bird flu continues to wreak havoc on the U.S. egg supply, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show there have been significantly more egg products seized at U.S. borders than the number of seizures of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl so far in fiscal year 2025. According to the CBP data, there have been 413 drug seizure events involving fentanyl in fiscal year 2025, with December, January and February all having fewer fentanyl seizures than in those months the year before. Meanwhile, there have been 5,572 egg product interceptions so far this fiscal year, the data show. There were nearly 16,000 such interceptions in all of fiscal year 2024. In February, the agency's San Diego field office reported a 158% increase in egg interceptions since fiscal year 2024. The rise in egg interceptions comes as the U.S. continues to battle an outbreak of avian flu that has devastated the poultry industry and caused a surge in egg prices and shortages in some stores. CBP has said most of the egg product interceptions that have occurred were because people were unaware that they couldn't bring those products across the border. "Travelers are prohibited from bringing fresh eggs, raw chicken, or live birds into the United States from Mexico," the agency notes. Officials warn that bringing in such products, even though they might be cheaper for individuals, carry potential health risks and could make problems even worse. "According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service statistics, a devastating outbreak of avian influenza has affected millions of domestic birds in the United States, contributing to rising egg and poultry prices," CBP's San Diego office said in February. "This ongoing bird flu outbreak, the worst on record, serves as a reminder of the role human behaviors, such as transporting birds and avian products, can play in disease transmission. Items like soiled bird cages or used egg carton can spread diseases, including Virulent Newcastle disease," a respiratory virus that's often fatal to infected birds. Can you bring egg products into the U.S.? According to the USDA's Animal and Planet Health Inspection Service, most egg and egg products are not allowed to be brought into the U.S. from countries impacted by certain poultry diseases, including the highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, and the virulent Newcastle disease. Countries' statuses for those diseases can be found online. There are numerous restrictions barring travelers from bringing fresh eggs and other products into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico. The only exceptions for this are if the products are commercially packaged and labeled, cooked shelf-stable fully finished food items that have been unopened, or if they are cooked eggs or egg products that have been inspected by agents. The USDA says fresh or preserved eggs from countries without the listed diseases will be permitted into the U.S. if travelers have documentation proving the product's country of origin, such as package labels, proof of travel, flight origin or receipts. More detailed information on traveling with egg products is available here. Sneak peek: The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills Inside Trump's call with Vladimir Putin 100 years since deadliest tornado in U.S. history
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Egg product seizures are outpacing fentanyl stopped at the border
As the bird flu continues to wreak havoc on the U.S. egg supply, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show there have been significantly more egg products seized at U.S. borders than the number of seizures of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl so far in fiscal year 2025. According to the CBP data, there have been 413 drug seizure events involving fentanyl in fiscal year 2025, with December, January and February all having fewer fentanyl seizures than in those months the year before. Meanwhile, there have been 5,572 egg product interceptions so far this fiscal year, the data show. There were nearly 16,000 such interceptions in all of fiscal year 2024. In February, the agency's San Diego field office reported a 158% increase in egg interceptions since fiscal year 2024. The rise in egg interceptions comes as the U.S. continues to battle an outbreak of avian flu that has devastated the poultry industry and caused a surge in egg prices and shortages in some stores. CBP has said most of the egg product interceptions that have occurred were because people were unaware that they couldn't bring those products across the border. "Travelers are prohibited from bringing fresh eggs, raw chicken, or live birds into the United States from Mexico," the agency notes. Officials warn that bringing in such products, even though they might be cheaper for individuals, carry potential health risks and could make problems even worse. "According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service statistics, a devastating outbreak of avian influenza has affected millions of domestic birds in the United States, contributing to rising egg and poultry prices," CBP's San Diego office said in February. "This ongoing bird flu outbreak, the worst on record, serves as a reminder of the role human behaviors, such as transporting birds and avian products, can play in disease transmission. Items like soiled bird cages or used egg carton can spread diseases, including Virulent Newcastle disease," a respiratory virus that's often fatal to infected birds. Can you bring egg products into the U.S.? According to the USDA's Animal and Planet Health Inspection Service, most egg and egg products are not allowed to be brought into the U.S. from countries impacted by certain poultry diseases, including the highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, and the virulent Newcastle disease. Countries' statuses for those diseases can be found online. There are numerous restrictions barring travelers from bringing fresh eggs and other products into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico. The only exceptions for this are if the products are commercially packaged and labeled, cooked shelf-stable fully finished food items that have been unopened, or if they are cooked eggs or egg products that have been inspected by agents. The USDA says fresh or preserved eggs from countries without the listed diseases will be permitted into the U.S. if travelers have documentation proving the product's country of origin, such as package labels, proof of travel, flight origin or receipts. More detailed information on traveling with egg products is available here. Sneak peek: The Puzzling Death of Susann Sills Inside Trump's call with Vladimir Putin 100 years since deadliest tornado in U.S. history
CBS News
19-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
More egg product seizures than fentanyl seizures at the border so far this year
As the bird flu continues to wreak havoc on the U.S. egg supply , U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show there have been significantly more egg products seized at U.S. borders than the number of seizures of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl so far in fiscal year 2025. According to the CBP data, there have been 413 drug seizure events involving fentanyl in fiscal year 2025, with December, January and February all having fewer fentanyl seizures than in those months the year before. Meanwhile, there have been 5,572 egg product interceptions so far this fiscal year, the data show. There were nearly 16,000 such interceptions in all of fiscal year 2024. In February, the agency's San Diego field office reported a 158% increase in egg interceptions since fiscal year 2024. The rise in egg interceptions comes as the U.S. continues to battle an outbreak of avian flu that has devastated the poultry industry and caused a surge in egg prices and shortages in some stores. CBP has said most of the egg product interceptions that have occurred were because people were unaware that they couldn't bring those products across the border. "Travelers are prohibited from bringing fresh eggs, raw chicken, or live birds into the United States from Mexico," the agency notes. Officials warn that bringing in such products, even though they might be cheaper for individuals, carry potential health risks and could make problems even worse. "According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service statistics, a devastating outbreak of avian influenza has affected millions of domestic birds in the United States, contributing to rising egg and poultry prices," CBP's San Diego office said in February. "This ongoing bird flu outbreak, the worst on record, serves as a reminder of the role human behaviors, such as transporting birds and avian products, can play in disease transmission. Items like soiled bird cages or used egg carton can spread diseases, including Virulent Newcastle disease ," a respiratory virus that's often fatal to infected birds. According to the USDA's Animal and Planet Health Inspection Service, most egg and egg products are not allowed to be brought into the U.S. from countries impacted by certain poultry diseases, including the highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, and the virulent Newcastle disease. Countries' statuses for those diseases can be found online . There are numerous restrictions barring travelers from bringing fresh eggs and other products into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico . The only exceptions for this are if the products are commercially packaged and labeled, cooked shelf-stable fully finished food items that have been unopened, or if they are cooked eggs or egg products that have been inspected by agents. The USDA says fresh or preserved eggs from countries without the listed diseases will be permitted into the U.S. if travelers have documentation proving the product's country of origin, such as package labels, proof of travel, flight origin or receipts. More detailed information on traveling with egg products is available here .
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas border patrol stops 90+ people smuggling eggs from Mexico as prices soar
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas have intercepted at least 90 people and issued 16 civil penalties this year for attempting to smuggle eggs from Mexico, resulting in nearly $4,000 in fines. Bringing fresh eggs, raw chicken, unprocessed avian products or live birds into the U.S. is illegal, the agency said in a news release Friday. The agency urged travelers to declare all agricultural products to CBP officers and agriculture specialists to avoid fines and penalties. 'The failure to declare may lead to potential fines and penalties,' the agency warned. The rise in egg smuggling aligns with the shortage of eggs as well as soaring U.S. egg prices, which have steadily increased since 2022 due to avian flu outbreaks. According to officials, raw egg imports from Mexico are banned for similar reasons over health concerns related to avian flu. An additional concern about raw eggs being imported from Mexico include the potential transmission of Virulent Newcastle disease or VND, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. The disease can cause severe neurologic, respiratory and gastrointestinal issues. It's fatal in birds and is 'one of the most serious diseases of chickens worldwide,' according to the University of California, Davis or UC Davis. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas border patrol stops 90+ people smuggling eggs from Mexico
