Poultry producers in the U.S. are already repopulating their flocks from this year’s avian influenza outbreak. The president of the Iowa Poultry Association, Craig Rowles, says it’s in part due to the rapid response by producers, USDA and state animal health officials. “The difference between 2015 and now is almost night and day in terms of the speed at which the process unfolds with all of those partners to make sure that we are bringing the virus under control as quickly as possible.”
He says that cooperation is also allowing the flocks to be depopulated at a faster rate. “One of the remarkable things is the speed in which we are seeing the producers work through the cleanup phase and work to get their farms back to productivity.” Rowles says.
Bruce Dooyema, president of the Iowa Egg Council, says that will also allow the repopulation of flocks to happen much quicker this time around. “If you’re fast enough and you’re on top of it. Its probably three months or more before, where in 2015 it was probably 7 to 9 months before you were able to populate again. 14:31 And we have some sites that by the first of June will be released and ready to repopulate.
As a result, Rowles says consumers could see a rebound in poultry products in stores in the coming weeks. “So I would anticipate many of those control zones that came in the early parts of the spring should see released this summer sometime and that would allow them to start getting back into production you know by the fall.”
Iowa saw its last case the first week in May and the industry is hopeful the outbreak is almost over as warmer temperatures kill the virus. Rowles says, “We’re hopeful that we’re towards the end of the outbreak in Iowa for this spring but we need to remember that this virus is now circulating in the wild bird population so with each migratory period moving forward that risk will still be there because this virus is going to continue to circulate in wild birds now.”
However, producers can’t let their guard down as there’s no treatment and vaccines impact exports. Dooyema says, “There’s a lot of trade issues that go along with if we vaccinate. If America vaccinates its got be be a worldwide cooperation between all the countries because all of the sudden all these countries will throw up trade barriers 10:15
So until then he says poultry producers remain vigilant to protect the industry and their livelihoods. According to Dooyema, “There’s nothing more devastating, more heartbreaking than to see all your birds die.”
The turnaround on federal assistance for producers is also faster because USDA already had an indemnity program in place. It helps defray some of the cost of euthanizing birds, as well as with cleanup, composting and repopulating.
