Government And Industry Offering Reponse Plans In Case Of Bird Flu Fall Outbreak

Earlier this year, highly pathogenic avian influenza resulted in the depopulation of 7.5 million turkeys, 42.1 million egg-layer and pullet chickens and costs taxpayers $950 million. The U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as industry groups such as the National Chicken Council have compiled a comprehensive response manual to help coordinate and respond against future HPAI infections.

 

 

“APHIS is keenly aware of the significant impact the spring outbreak has had on all parties—poultry producers, allied industries, federal and state governments, and the American consumer. As we near the beginning of the fall season, APHIS is confident that its surveillance programs in commercial and wild birds, which are the strongest in the world, will enable us to detect the disease early. If HPAI should reappear in the coming months, APHIS is ready to respond and committed to helping those affected by the disease,” APHIS said.

 

The decline in HPAI detections provided an opportunity to enhance prevention efforts and prepare for additional backyard and commercial poultry cases that may occur in the fall when birds migrate south from their northern breeding grounds, USDA said in its Fall 2015 Preparedness and Response Plan. While HPAI infections since December 2014 have been identified in three of the four U.S. flyways, USDA said it expects HPAI viruses will be brought to the Atlantic flyway by migrating ducks, if they are not already present but as yet undetected in the resident wild duck population.

 

USDA said it learned many things through this spring’s outbreak and have assumed a worst-case scenario beginning in mid-September 2015, with HPAI occurring simultaneously in multiple sectors of the poultry industry throughout the nation. Under this scenario, 500 or more commercial establishments of various sizes could be affected.

 

The Fall 2015 HPAI Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan organizes information on preparatory activities, policy decisions and updated strategy documents into four key areas:

 

The plan published by USDA's APHIS can be reviewed by clicking here.

 

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service report also includes an updated biosecurity self-assessment for the poultry industry; streamlined and updated procedures for providing indemnity and other payments; a draft vaccine use strategy; and additional items of interest to agency’s stakeholders.

 

APHIS said it is publishing an interim rule on HPAI indemnity that will contain a provision requiring all future HPAI-affected commercial poultry producers to self-certify that biosecurity procedures were in place at the time HPAI was detected.

 

USDA also sent out a survey to all 50 states and five U.S. terrorities questioning plans states have in place to deal with HPAI. USDA concluded from this analysis that the 20 critical worst case scenario states have “all made significant efforts in implementing detection, preparedness and response capabilities for future HPAI cases.” Although all have implemented one or more practices to increase biosecurity and address gaps, “there are areas where improvements are needed,” USDA said.