Comm. Strain responds to poultry ban lifted in China

The United States Department of  Agriculture (USDA) announced last week China’s decision to lift its ban on poultry imports from the United States, said Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M. 

“Not only is this great news for America, but this is welcome news for Louisiana. The lifting of the ban opens the market for Louisiana producers as well as the rest of the country. Poultry in Louisiana is a $2 billion industry,” said Strain. “Also, the Port of New Orleans is one of the largest poultry exporters in America. It will also benefit being able to export poultry to China.” 

 The USDA said China is an important export market for America’s poultry farmers and estimate they will now be able to export more than $1 billion worth of poultry and poultry products each year to China. 

 China banned all U.S. poultry in January 2015 as a result of the avian influenza outbreak in December 2014, even though the United States has been free of this disease since August 2017. The United States exported over $500 million worth of poultry products to China in 2013.

 The United States is the world’s second largest poultry exporter, with global exports of poultry meat and products of $4.3 billion last year.