Overview

• The agriculture ministry announced on June 18 that Brazil met all health protocol steps following the disinfection of its only commercial outbreak site and completed a 28-day observation period without new cases
• Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said the declaration paves the way for a phased resumption of chicken shipments to China, the European Union and more than 20 other markets
• Final confirmation of HPAI-free status by the World Organisation for Animal Health is required under international guidelines before trade fully resumes
• The initial outbreak at a breeder farm in Rio Grande do Sul led to the culling of about 17,000 breeding chickens and prompted BRF and JBS to preemptively cull at least 141,000 healthy birds
• Experts warn that despite geographic barriers like the Amazon basin and strengthened biosecurity, Brazil remains at risk of future outbreaks from wild and migratory birds