The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued temporary bans on the importation of certain animal products from Germany, Maryland, and Missouri due to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu.
In two separate news releases, the DA said the measures aim to protect the Philippines’ livestock and poultry industries from potential disease transmission.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the immediate suspension of imports of commodities derived from animals susceptible to FMD following reports of outbreaks in Germany.
The European nation notified the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on January 10, confirming FMD cases in domestic buffaloes in Hoppegarten, Brandenburg.
FMD is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects cloven-hoofed livestock, including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and buffaloes. The disease can have devastating effects on animal health and production, particularly among young livestock.
In 2024, the Philippines imported 3,177.5 metric tons of beef from Germany, contributing approximately 0.5% of the country’s total beef imports. Germany had also been a key pork supplier until a separate ban was imposed in 2020 due to an outbreak of African Swine Fever.
Memorandum Order No. 08, signed on February 10, 2025, enforces the temporary restriction until Germany regains its FMD-free status as certified by WOAH. The order also suspends the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances.
Certain products, however, remain exempt from the ban, including ultra-high temperature milk, heat-treated meat in hermetically sealed containers, protein meal and gelatin, in vivo-derived bovine embryos, and semi-processed leather products.
Additionally, shipments that were already in transit or at ports before the cut-off date of December 26, 2024, are permitted entry.
Ban on poultry products from Maryland and Missouri
Alongside the FMD-related restrictions, the DA has also imposed a temporary ban on imports of domestic and wild birds, as well as poultry products, from Maryland and Missouri due to multiple outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza.
“The quick escalation of bird flu cases in the U.S. since its first detection demands a more extensive coverage of trade restrictions to prevent the entry of the virus,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel.
The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported outbreaks on January 23, confirming bird flu cases across 89 flocks in the two states, affecting a total of 13.2 million birds.
Memorandum Order No. 07, signed on February 4, 2025, enforces the suspension of imports, including poultry meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and poultry semen. The DA has also halted the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for these commodities.
However, exemptions apply to shipments already in transit or those accepted at ports, provided they were slaughtered or produced at least 14 days before the first confirmed outbreak—January 14 for both Maryland and Missouri. Any shipment failing to meet these conditions will either be returned to its country of origin or disposed of.
The DA’s latest restrictions reflect the government’s commitment to safeguarding the local agricultural sector from the risks posed by foreign animal diseases. These bans serve as precautionary measures to mitigate potential economic losses and prevent the spread of highly contagious viruses that could impact food security and livestock-dependent industries.
Both import bans will remain in effect until the affected regions regain disease-free certification from international animal health authorities.
