Update: Avian influenza movement restriction to be cut to a 30 day minimum

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The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation received a letter this week from Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs at Defra, confirming an interim administrative measure to reduce the AI surveillance period from 90 to 30 days for all poultry and poultry products.

This follows on from the announcement last week that the EU Commission would be reducing the minimum surveillance period and restriction of exporting poultry out of the EU following a confirmed case of avian influenza from 90 to 30 days. 

“This risk-based trade facilitative measure will enable safe trade to resume from AI-affected areas more quickly whilst protecting GB biosecurity”, Lord Benyon wrote. “This will be available to all of our trading partners if they can demonstrate that a stamping-out policy has been completed, and that surveillance has been carried out during that period and has demonstrated the absence of infection.”

Lord Benyon added that the revised certificate should be available on the GOV.UK website in March 2023.

“Once the revised certificates have been published, this administrative measure will remain in place until we have updated our legislation, which we will look to do as soon as possible. Given the ongoing risks of AI and the reliance on imports in the gamebird sector, I would also continue to urge the sector to look at where there are opportunities to diversify its supply chains.”

The NGO are in regular contact with Defra Ministers and are working hard to engage with all those involved with the gamebird and poultry sector to ensure that our members can continue to do their jobs whilst maintaining the highest standards of biosecurity.

We would just like to remind any shoots or game farms that have not registered on the poultry register to do so as soon as possible.  All game farms and shoots that release 50 or more birds are required by law to register.

A key factor in determining how quickly the required surveillance activity can be completed is the accuracy of the Poultry Register. The efficiency of the Poultry Register process is vital if game bird keepers are to make the most of the changes which the NGO are trying to achieve. Additionally, any shoot or game farm that finds itself in a disease control zone is likely to need a licence for some of their activity and this cannot be obtained unless they are on the poultry register. For more information please click here.