September 11, 2023

 

Pennsylvania, US achieves avian influenza-free status

 

Pennsylvania, US, has attained the designation of "highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)-free" by the World Animal Health Organization, signalling a significant milestone for the state's poultry industry, Yahoo! News reported.

 

The announcement was made jointly by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Governor Josh Shapiro.

 

This recognition is a significant development for Pennsylvania's poultry sector, which is valued at US$7.1 billion, as it marks a return to normal international trade conditions. The state had been grappling with the outbreak of the current avian influenza strain since April 2022, impacting 31 commercial flocks, 36 backyard flocks, and resulting in the loss of 4,648,240 domestic birds.

 

The journey towards achieving the "HPAI-free" status was a collaborative effort involving a response team comprised of hundreds of veterinarians and specialists from various organizations. These included the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Penn State Extension, and PennAg Industries. Together with poultry businesses, they worked tirelessly to reach this critical milestone.

 

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his pride in the administration's coordinated and aggressive response to this public health emergency, emphasizing the significance of this achievement.

 

The recently approved budget, signed by Governor Shapiro, allocates increased funding of nearly 6.4% to the Agriculture Department. This funding supports agricultural emergency preparedness and response efforts, including providing US$31 million to assist poultry farmers impacted by the HPAI crisis in covering testing costs and recovering losses incurred by their flocks.

 

The budget also includes a US$1 million investment in funding for the Centre for Livestock and Poultry Excellence at PennAg Industries. This centre plays a pivotal role in supplying the necessary equipment, personnel, training, and research funding that have been instrumental in Pennsylvania's response to the avian influenza outbreak.

 

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding commended Pennsylvania's coordinated and effective response to the HPAI outbreak, underscoring the collective effort that led to this achievement.

 

Currently, the department is in the process of reviewing applications for the fifth round of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Recovery Reimbursement Grant programme. This initiative aims to reimburse industry stakeholders for the expenses incurred in enhancing biosecurity measures to safeguard against the virus.

 

While the last confirmed infection of the current strain of highly-pathogenic avian flu in Pennsylvania was reported on March 17 in Lancaster County, the state remains under a general quarantine to protect its poultry industry from the virus's spread. The Department continues to conduct testing and monitoring activities state-wide.

 

Despite the absence of recent detections of the most infectious strain of the virus in Pennsylvania, detections in neighbouring states emphasize the need for continued vigilance, particularly with the upcoming wild bird migration season.

 

-      Yahoo! News