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Lucia A Keegan  02/08/2007 12:58:14 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

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UNCLAS        PARIS 00483

SIPDIS
cxparis:
    ACTION: AGR
    INFO:   DCM AMB ECON UNESCO SCI TRDO POL ECNO

DISSEMINATION: AGRX
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AGR: MMEADOR
DRAFTED: AGR: XAUDRAN
CLEARED: AGR: MMEADOR  EST: BDRY  ECON: JHENNESSEY-NILAND

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RR RUEHC RUEHRC RUEAUSA RUCNMEM RUEHMRE RUEHSR
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DE RUEHFR #0483 0381549
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071549Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4756
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPARTMENT OF HHS WASHDC
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 1517
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0316
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2595

UNCLAS PARIS 000483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR 
STATE FOR OES; EUR/ERA AND EB(XXX???); EUR/??; OES/IHA; STATE ALSO 
FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA ACTION GROUP; HHS LEIGH SAWYER 
STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY; 
USDA/OS/JOHANNS/TERPSTRA; 
USDA/FAS FOR OA/YOST; 
OCRA/CURTIS 
ONA/RIEMENSCHNEIDER 
FAA/YOUNG; 
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON 
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO FR
 
SUBJECT: France raises AI vigilance level 
 
¶1. On February 5th, following the announcement by UK's DEFRA of the 
first reported case of AI in a commercial turkey farm in Great 
Britain, the French Ministry of Agriculture raised its AI risk 
assessment and vigilance from level 2 (negligible risk) to level 3 
(low risk).  Impacts of this change include the prohibition on the 
transportation and use of live decoy ducks for hunting.  Release of 
courier pigeons, which may fly over countries with declared AI 
cases, is also prohibited.  The French government is asking that all 
sightings of dead birds be reported to either the local fire station 
or to local veterinary authorities.  A post-mortem examination will 
be performed on any bird whose death looks suspicious. 
 
¶2. Impacts do not include the confinement of commercial birds yet 
but the French government continues to watch the AI situation in 
European countries very closely.  Additional precautions may be 
forthcoming. 
 
¶3. As of February 6, imports of UK poultry meat are not prohibited. 
In 2006, France imported approximately 30,000 MT of poultry meat 
(mostly frozen and fresh chicken parts) valued at $62 million. 
 
¶4. It is too early to evaluate the impact on the French poultry 
consumer due to the UK case, which was widely reported by the media, 
especially TV.  The discovery of AI in a commercial poultry 
operation in France in 2006 led to an immediate drop in French 
poultry consumption in excess of 30 percent.  Consumption has now, 
more or less, returned to its pre-AI level. 
 
 
Stapleton