Canada Bans Poultry Imports from Brazil Following Bird Flu Outbreak

The import ban is part of a broader international response to the HPAI outbreak in Brazil, with several countries taking similar actions to protect their domestic poultry industries.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has imposed a ban on poultry imports from the entire country of Brazil due to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)—a severe and contagious strain of bird flu that presents significant risks to poultry health and international trade.

The restrictions are effective as of May 12, 2025, and will remain in place until further notice.

However, shipments of meat slaughtered before May 12, 2025, remain eligible for import.

Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of poultry products. In 2024, the country exported approximately $10 billion worth of poultry, which accounted for around 35% of the global poultry trade.

Following the country’s confirmation of its first outbreak of HPAI last Friday, major trading partners, including Canada, moved quickly to impose import restrictions on poultry products.

As of yesterday, a 28-day observation period is underway. If no new cases are confirmed during this time, Brazil may be reclassified as free from HPAI.

The first outbreak on a commercial farm

On May 15, 2025, Brazil confirmed the detection of HPAI on a commercial poultry farm in Montenegro, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

The virus resulted in the deaths of around 15,000 birds, and the farm culled an additional 2,000.

Although the first cases of HPAI were detected in 2023 in wild birds, this represents the first known outbreak on a commercial farm. 

Brazilian authorities take action

Brazil’s agriculture ministry and the Department of Agriculture in Rio Grande do Sul quickly established a dedicated task force in the affected municipality of Montenegro to prevent the further spread of the virus.

As part of this effort, Brazilian officials inspected 524 properties within a 10-kilometre radius of the farm where the infection was detected.

Additionally, with support from military police, the authorities set up seven disinfection checkpoints around the area to sanitize vehicles passing through.

No additional cases have been confirmed to date, but further testing is ongoing.

Quick global trade response

The global reaction to Brazil’s HPAI outbreak has been swift.

Canada has imposed a comprehensive ban on all poultry imports from Brazil, as part of its efforts to protect domestic flocks and ensure a disease-free status.

Similarly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has restricted imports of poultry, birds, hatching eggs, and untreated avian products from Brazil as of May 15, 2025. It will now only permit entry under strict import conditions.

The European Union (EU) has also taken action, suspending all poultry imports from Brazil in line with its disease-control protocols.

Furthermore, China immediately suspended imports in response to the outbreak. Brazil has since requested that China limit its embargo to poultry products from the city of Montenegro, rather than applying a nationwide ban.

Japan, on the other hand, has imposed regional restrictions. The country has suspended imports of poultry meat from the city of Montenegro and live poultry from the broader state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Other countries across Europe and Asia have imposed either statewide or nationwide bans on poultry imports from Brazil.  

Canada closely monitoring HPAI across the country

The CFIA is actively responding to cases of avian influenza in domestic birds across Canada. The most common strain detected to date has been HPAI subtype H5N1.

On November 8, 2024, the CFIA confirmed the presence of HPAI H5N2 in poultry in British Columbia. Later that month, on November 25, 2024, low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) subtype H5 was identified in Quebec.

The most recent detection occurred on February 12, 2025, when the CFIA confirmed HPAI H5N5 in poultry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The HPAI virus genotype B3.13—identified in U.S. dairy cattle—has not been detected in any birds, cattle, or other animals in Canada.

Avian influenza poses no food safety risk. There is no evidence to suggest that properly cooked poultry or eggs can transmit the virus to humans.

Next steps for Canadian poultry importers

Given the current situation and import ban, we recommend that you take proactive measures to ensure compliance and maintain business continuity. These include:

• Verifying shipment documentation to ensure all poultry products from Brazil were slaughtered before May 12, 2025, and are accompanied by proof of import eligibility.
• Exploring alternative sourcing options to diversify your supply chain and mitigate potential disruptions caused by the ban.
• Consulting your customs broker to identify potential compliance issues or missing documentation that may impact the clearance of your shipments.

How Cole International can help

At Cole International, we provide customs and compliance consulting and customs brokerage services to help you navigate changing regulations and streamline importing goods into Canada.  

Please reach out to one of our trade professionals to discuss how this ban on poultry imports could affect your business and explore potential sourcing and risk mitigation strategies.