Meat packagingColumbia placed restrictions on importing beef and beef products from states where U.S. dairy herds have tested positive for HPAI. It becomes the first country to limit beef imports due to the virus.

The USDA shared that the ban currently includes cattle slaughtered in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas. To date, no U.S. beef cattle have tested positive for HPAI.

Officials from the USDA are in discussions with Columbia about the issue. According to USDA Chief Veterinary Officer Rosemary Sifford, trading partners have requested additional information on the U.S. government’s epidemiology. The USDA did not confirm which trading partners asked for the information.

Read more on the beef import restrictions here.