Colombia has lifted what was a short-lived but costly ban on U.S. poultry, after what USDA officials called quick action to leverage the two nations’ free trade agreement.
Colombia instructed all its ports to deny permits to any poultry products beginning June 1 on HPAI concerns. The ban only lasted from June 3 to June 8, but impacted some $1.1 million in U.S. poultry exports to their 10th largest market, USDA officials said.
Along with the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) leveraged the free trade pact — and cooperative communcations amongst U.S. companies, Colombian importers and local trade associations —to convince Colombia to reverse the ban on June 8.
“Government officials and local importers worked tirelessly to deliver results immediately, which built a compelling case to the Colombian government. This team effort ensured that the United States recovered a market that accounted for more than $100 million in 2022,” FAS officials said.
Colombia’s resumption of issuing import permits recognized the 2012 regionalization agreement side-letter between USTR and the Colombian government, which established provisions for mitigating the spread of HPAI.
The denial of these import licenses, stuck shipments of U.S. poultry, and the uncertainty of market access directly impacted consumers and American businesses. Tyson Foods and McDonald’s were among the main companies affected by the ban.
