Following numerous outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza from February 2022 onwards, exports of chicken and eggs have been impacted as a result of restrictions imposed by importing nations.

Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) has introduced the Safe American Food Exports (SAFE) Act.  This would provide USDA and the USDA-FAS with authority to negotiate proactive trade agreements to promote exports focusing on aspects of safety. The Bill is co-sponsored by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Chris Coons (D-DE). 

Senator Coons stated, “Regionalization is an important tool for protecting agricultural exports when disease outbreaks occur.”  Senator Braun pointed to the value of agreements stipulating regionalization in the event of outbreaks.

The World Organization of Animal Health recognizes regionalization with respect to outbreaks of livestock and poultry diseases.  Unfortunately, importing nations frequently do not recognize regionalization, requiring specific bilateral trade agreements, such as with Canada. 

Proactive negotiation to develop mutually acceptable and beneficial agreements are necessary to maintain trade and volume of U. S. exports that will be accomplished through passage of the SAFE Act.  Examples of injudicious, inappropriate and destructive nationwide embargos imposed on exporting nations include the recent ban imposed by Mexico on Chile following isolated and contained cases of H5N1 and the temporary ban by China on beef imports from Brazil as a result of a single case of atypical BSE.  South Africa, India and other nations frequently impose nationwide bans on exporters of livestock products.  These restrictions are either based on a lack of understanding of the epidemiology of infections, application of dated precedents by veterinary authorities or at worst, blatant trade protection.