Alerts

This notice is to inform importers and stakeholders of increased measures which have been implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources following a confirmed outbreak of Newcastle Disease in France.

Commodities affected:

• Unretorted cooked foie gras (farmed, slaughtered, manufactured and exported) from France
  

Retorted foie gras is not impacted by the disease outbreak.

Increased biosecurity measures:

This only impacts foie gras manufactured from birds slaughtered between 8 December 2017 and 22 March 2018. These products are not eligible for import as the following import conditions cannot be met: France has had no reported cases of Newcastle disease during the 3 months prior to the date of slaughter of the birds from which the livers used to manufacture the foie gras were delivered and was, in accordance with the OIE Animal Health Code, officially free of Newcastle disease.

If you have applied for an import permit or are an existing permit holder, the department will be in contact with you.

Action required:

Please contact the department on 1800 900 090 or imports@agriculture.gov.au if you have consignments en-route to Australia, and we will work with you to facilitate the import if biosecurity risks can be mitigated.

Further Information

Once France has been officially declared free of Newcastle disease, in accordance with the OIE Animal Health Code, the authority will be able to attest to the permit conditions again.

Animal and Biological Import Assessments Branch

Phone: 1800 900 090

Email: imports@agriculture.gov.au