Avian Influenza Contracted at New Castle County Poultry Farm

Feb 24, 2022

A Delaware chicken flock is hit by avian influenza.

The case of avian influenza was confirmed at a New Castle County poultry farm that showed increased mortality over the past few days.

Testing revealed it was the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza.

Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse says the incident at the farm shouldn’t hamper the state’s poultry industry.

"Right now a minimal impact if any really. This is isolated to a single farm so it should not have any major impact on the industry at this time."

The Delaware Department of Agriculture says there is also no public health concern.

The farm in question is under quarantine to stop spread to other flocks in the state, and those birds will not enter the food system.

Scuse says preventing any spread from this farm is important.

"There's always that possibility, yes, that it can spread, but we're taking all precautions possible to make sure that that doesn't happen. Again all the precautions to make sure that anything goes in and out of the form is washed down, disinfected, so that we can prevent the spread of avian influenza into other areas in the region."

The cause of the virus is not known at this time, and all poultry flock owners have been encouraged to follow the strictest biosecurity on their farms.

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Video: Secure Pork Supply Plan | Preparing for the Future | U.S. Pork Producers

Join Jill Brokaw, a third-generation pig farmer and staff member of the National Pork Board, as she dives into the vital role of the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Plan in preparing the U.S. pork industry for potential foreign animal disease outbreaks. This video is an essential watch for pork producers who are looking to safeguard their operations against the threats of diseases like foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, and African swine fever.

Why Should Pork Producers Care? An outbreak of foreign animal diseases in the U.S. could lead to severe restrictions and potentially result in industry-wide financial losses estimated between $15 to $100 billion. The SPS Plan is a collective effort to prevent such catastrophic outcomes by enhancing biosecurity, ensuring animal traceability, and promoting effective disease monitoring.

What You'll Learn:

The Importance of Preparedness: Understand why being proactive is crucial for maintaining business continuity during an outbreak. Enhanced Biosecurity Measures: Write a site-specific biosecurity plan that can serve as the first line of defense against potential outbreaks. Animal Disease Traceability: Learn about the significance of tracking animal movement and how acquiring a premises identification number (PIN) and using AgView can facilitate this process. Disease Monitoring: Find out how continuous observation and reporting can keep your herd healthy and disease-free.

Getting Started with SPS: The video breaks down the seemingly daunting task of preparing for a foreign animal disease outbreak into manageable steps. With free resources available at www.securepork.org, including templates and instructions, Jill guides producers on developing a customized plan to enhance their farm's defenses.

Expert Insights: Hear from Dr. Pam Zaabel on collaborating with your herd veterinarian to develop and implement your SPS plan effectively.

Takeaway: The Secure Pork Supply initiative is more than a plan; it's a commitment to the resilience of our food supply and the livelihoods within the pork industry. By embracing these proactive measures, we can collectively enhance our preparedness for foreign animal disease outbreaks.