Current through Register Vol. 41, No. 3, September 23, 2024
A. Within the 30 days prior to its date of
entry into Virginia, poultry must be deemed healthy and free of infectious
diseases and all required tests must be completed. Proof of examination and
test results must be submitted with the permit request and on a Certificate of
Veterinary Inspection; VS 9-3, if the shipper is a NPIP participant; or in a
format approved by the State Veterinarian. All poultry shall be accompanied by
an electronic or written Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, VS 9-3, or
alternative movement document approved by the State Veterinarian, which shall
be in the possession of the person in charge of such poultry.
B. Chickens, turkeys, and hatching eggs of
chickens and turkeys shall not be imported into Virginia unless originating
exclusively from flocks or hatcheries participating in the NPIP or issued a
permit and found to be negative on a Pullorum-typhoid test within 30 days prior
to entry.
C. Poultry shall not be
imported into Virginia unless the following conditions are met concerning avian
influenza (H5 and H7):
1. Requirements
governing hatching eggs and certain day-old birds:
a. Hatching eggs shall originate from a
breeder flock that participates in and meets the requirements of the "U.S.
Avian Influenza Clean" program for chickens or the "U.S. H5/H7 Avian Influenza
Clean" program for turkeys of the NPIP.
b. Day-old chickens, day-old game birds, and
day-old turkeys shall originate from a hatchery that only handles hatching eggs
that originate from breeding flocks that participate in and meet the
requirements of the "U.S. Avian Influenza Clean" or the "U.S. H5/H7 Avian
Influenza Clean" programs of the NPIP.
c. A statement certifying that the breeder
flock shipping hatching eggs and all breeder flocks supplying eggs to the
hatchery shipping day-old chickens, day-old game birds, or day-old turkeys
participates in and meets the requirements of the "U.S. Avian Influenza Clean"
or the "U.S. H5/H7 Avian Influenza Clean" programs of the NPIP shall be
provided.
2.
Requirements governing all other poultry:
a.
The poultry shall be tested and found negative for avian influenza (H5 and H7)
within 14 days prior to entry into Virginia or shall come from a flock that has
first been tested with negative results within 14 days prior to entry into
Virginia as follows:
(1) Breeding chickens and
turkeys: 20 birds per house minimum, or for flocks of 500 or fewer, 20 birds
minimum as long as all houses and pens on the premises are
represented.
(2) Grow-out turkeys
for immediate slaughter at a slaughter establishment: 10 birds per house
minimum for multi-stage farms and 10 birds per farm, with at least five birds
per house, on single-stage farms.
(3) Broiler chickens less than or equal to 70
days of age for immediate slaughter at a slaughter establishment: 11 birds per
premises with at least one per house.
b. The results of the tests for avian
influenza are recorded and signed by an accredited veterinarian in the state of
origin or are recorded on a report issued by a laboratory approved by any state
or federal animal authority. Only agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID),
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR),
virus isolation, or other avian influenza test methods approved by the State
Veterinarian and conducted in a laboratory approved by a state or federal
animal health authority will be permitted.
D. This chapter shall not apply to birds that
are passing directly through Virginia to another state in interstate
commerce.
E. This section shall not
be construed to (i) permit the entry into Virginia of any species otherwise
prohibited or restricted by any state or federal law, regulation, or directive;
or (ii) contravene additional entry requirements imposed by any state or
federal law, regulation, or directive.
Statutory Authority: §§
3.2-5902
and
3.2-6002
of the Code of Virginia.
