When the presence of extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is confirmed in a flock of birds that the World Organisation for Animal Well being (WOAH) defines as poultry, that typically means commerce restrictions for the state, or extra localized area inside the state.
However WOAH’s definition of poultry is simply too broad, says the agriculture commissioner for the most important broiler producing state within the U.S.
Georgia has not had any flocks of what most individuals would think about business poultry struck by HPAI in the course of the 2022-24 outbreak. But a single outbreak in a business raised for launch waterfowl flock in 2023 has value the state dearly.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper estimates that commerce restrictions put in place as a result of these waterfowl had been outlined as business poultry by WOAH resulted in a lack of $300 million to Georgia poultry producers.
“Because the nation’s main poultry producing state, WOAH’s overly broad definition of poultry has negatively impacted Georgia poultry producers and the 1000’s of Georgians who make their dwelling in our poultry trade for too lengthy,” Harper stated in a press launch.
“Merely put, WOAH’s present place than an HPAI detection in birds raised for launch on looking preserves or a yard poultry flock ought to set off the identical response as a detection in a business operation defies logic.”
Harper isn’t the primary public official to push for a brand new WOAH definition for poultry. Actually, in his launch, he referenced a bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives from an array of states who did simply that in Might.
Then, 58 federal lawmakers wrote to United States Division of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Well being Inspection Service (APHIS) Administrator Dr. Michael Watson, urging the company to advocate for WOAH to undertake the identical definition of poultry that was unanimously accepted by the USA Animal Well being Affiliation.
These from Georgia to signal the letter included Reps. Andrew Clyde, Sanford Bishop, Rick Allen, Buddy Carter, Mike Collins, Drew Ferguson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Barry Loudermilk, Lucy McBeth, Rick McCormick, Austin Scott and David Scott.
Why a brand new definition is smart
I absolutely agree with Harpers and those that beforehand signed that letter. A brand new definition is required, and the financial loss skilled in Georgia is simply one of many causes. Every time an analogous detection in a flock that meet’s WOAH’s description of poultry however the definition of most different folks, an export freeze is put in place for that geographical space. And it additionally places importers of poultry in an undesirable place to have to hunt poultry from different areas or markets.
When yard poultry or business gamebirds are contaminated with HPAI, they clearly have to be depopulated and disinfection have to be achieved, amongst different routine biosecurity measures. However that doesn’t imply that business poultry by most individuals’s definition is any much less secure.
And that’s largely due to the biosecurity practices which can be in use in Georgia and different poultry producing states.
“In Georgia and throughout the nation, yard flocks and birds raised for launch generally work together with wild birds probably carrying the HPAI virus, placing them at higher threat of publicity to HPAI than poultry raised by business operators who comply with strict biosecurity protocols to defend their flocks, Georgia State Veterinarian Janemarie Hennebelle stated.
“The effectiveness of strict biosecurity protocols speaks for itself as solely 30,000 birds in Georgia have been affected by the continued H5N1 outbreak that has affected greater than 90 million birds throughout the nation. I firmly imagine that Georgia poultry exports can and may proceed unimpeded within the occasion of a detection in a yard flock or birds raised-for-release and absolutely assist this effort.”
View our persevering with protection of the international avian influenza state of affairs.
To be taught extra about HPAI instances in business poultry flocks in the USA, Mexico and Canada, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com.
