The South Korean government has lifted its ban on imports of U.S. poultry and poultry products including fresh eggs. The ban was in response to the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza. On August 11, the U.S. notified the World Organization of Animal Health it is now free of HPAI. Iowa Poultry Association and Egg Council Executive Director Kevin Stiles says the lifting of the ban is good news for Iowa’s poultry and egg producers.

He says South Korea is an important market for U.S. eggs and hopefully that market can grow moving forward.

Stiles credits the U.S. poultry and egg industry working with USDA in getting the South Korean ban lifted.

In 2014, the last full year without any HPAI related trade restrictions in place, South Korea purchased $122 million in U.S. poultry products including eggs making it the United States’ tenth largest market.