An outbreak of bird flu among poultry in the US state of Georgia, the country’s largest chicken producer, is likely to trigger trade restrictions from major meat importers, an industry group said on Tuesday, warning of a measure that could financially harm farmers and processing companies.
A flock of 45,500 breeding chickens tested positive last week in Elbert County, Georgia, near the South Carolina border, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is the first confirmed case at a commercial poultry operation in the state, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
The case comes as food producers fear that President Donald Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on goods from his trading partners, such as China and Mexico, could lead to retaliation that could also harm to American agricultural exports.
An outbreak in a commercial flock typically triggers trade restrictions on poultry products originating from the county or state where the infected operation is located. Planned restrictions on Georgia poultry threaten producers and processors, such as Pilgrim’s Pride.
Initial export losses could amount to about $34 million, according to the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
Mexico, the top importer of U.S. poultry products, will likely halt purchases from Georgia for two to four weeks until it revises the ban to apply to the county, the industry group said.
Taiwan, the third-largest importer of U.S. poultry, will block poultry imports from Georgia for six to eight months, the export council estimated.
-South Korea will likely impose a ban on Georgia poultry that is expected to be lifted 28 days after the virus is eliminated, a process that will likely take three to four months, according to the council.
The USDA had no immediate comment on potential trade restrictions.
Since 2022, more than 138 million chickens, turkeys and other birds have died from bird flu or been culled to contain the disease. Around 930 dairy herds and 67 people, mostly farmworkers, have tested positive since 2024.
“This is a serious threat to Georgia’s number one industry,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said in a statement.
China has been blocking poultry from Georgia since 2023, when a commercial flock of waterfowl tested positive, USDA records show.
