Wedoany.com Report-Jun 24, Brazil has officially declared its commercial poultry farms free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) after completing a 28-day sanitary standstill, with no new outbreaks reported for 33 days as of June 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on June 18, confirming the completion of all required sanitary measures.

The standstill period began on May 22, following the sanitization of a farm in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul, where the only confirmed HPAI outbreak in a commercial poultry unit occurred on May 16. With no further cases detected, Brazil has fulfilled international protocols, reinforcing its disease-free status and supporting efforts to resume poultry exports.

Carlos Fávaro, Agriculture Minister, stated: “We do not celebrate a crisis, but we must acknowledge the strength of our sanitary system, which responded with total transparency and efficiency. We contained the outbreak, followed all international protocols and, now, move forward responsibly towards recovering international trade.”

The Secretariat for Agricultural Defence at Mapa managed the notification process, adhering to strict technical standards and transparency. The process, from outbreak detection to the sanitary standstill and self-declaration, has been thoroughly documented. Brazil has also initiated discussions with countries that imposed temporary import restrictions to expedite the reopening of these markets.

Carlos Goulart, Secretary for Agricultural Defence at Mapa, commented: “We have reached the end of the sanitary standstill with the formal self-declaration that Brazil is free of avian influenza in commercial poultry farms. This reinforces the credibility of our sanitary system and represents a decisive step towards normalising exports.”

The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), led by President Ricardo Santin, welcomed the declaration, noting its importance for export recovery. Santin stated: “The 28-day sanitary standstill represents 2 full life cycles of the virus, ensuring the affected farm is completely safe. This self-declaration restores our sanitary status. At a time when dozens of countries – including all major poultry producers – are grappling with outbreaks in their production chains, Brazil has successfully overcome the only occurrence in the history of its poultry sector.”

The successful containment of the outbreak strengthens Brazil’s position in global poultry markets. The industry is optimistic about resuming normal export activities, contributing to global food security while maintaining rigorous sanitary standards.