Tweet
State broods on bird flu
By Jenny Maher, Delaware State News
GEORGETOWN - In the past year, "avian influenza" has become a household term, courtesy of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, which has infected birds and caused human fatalities in other parts of the world, including Asia and the Middle East.
But for local and regional farmers, bird flu is hardly a new topic, Dr. Edwin Odor, administrator of the Delaware Department of Agriculture's Food Products Inspection Section, said at a Thursday briefing on avian influenza preparedness.
He was one of several experts who spoke at the event, held at the University of Delaware's Carvel Research and Education Center in Georgetown.
"Avian influenza is not new to Delaware and Delaware is not new to avian influenza," he said.
"Since 1983, Delmarva has been dealing with it."
Although the virulent H5N1 strain has not hit the United States, other strains have been found in parts of America, including the Delmarva Peninsula.
When not controlled quickly, the disease can wreak havoc on the poultry industry and threaten the livelihood of farmers.
Thursday's briefing gave members of the poultry and wild bird communities, including farmers, backyard poultry owners, pet bird owners and local veterinarians, an opportunity to learn more about low- and high-pathogen strains of the bird flu and how Delaware and Maryland plan to handle outbreaks.
Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse referred to Delmarva as a leader in avian influenza preparedness.
"(Our plan) reflects the best current science and technology available," he said. "We stay on the cutting edge and are recognized nationally and globally for our efforts."
He said the plan, which successfully contained a 2004 bird flu outbreak in Kent and Sussex counties, is based on cooperation, swift and decisive action, communication and transparency.
About 85,000 birds were destroyed in the two 2004 incidents, which happened just days apart.
He noted that Delaware ranks seventh in the nation in pounds of broilers produced and that an uncontrolled bird flu outbreak would be devastating to the local economy.
Even worse, if the high pathogen H5N1 strain comes to Delmarva, human lives would be threatened.
Safety measures
Mr. Scuse said state, regional and national experts are doing everything in their power to keep the dangerous strain away, as well as to make sure they're prepared if it strikes.
Dr. John Clifford, deputy administrator of veterinary services with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, explained Thursday how his agency works with states to prevent and control various strains of avian flu.
"All of us have a stake in this," he said. "We always have to strive to be better and better, and we can only do that by working together."
He said the National Poultry Improvement Plan, a USDA-administered program that aims to control certain poultry diseases, is an integral part of avian influenza preparedness.
The program establishes standards for the evaluation of poultry breeding stock and hatchery products and it identifies all products that conform to disease control standards.
Dr. Clifford also said the USDA restricts the importation of poultry products from regions where the high pathogen H5N1 strain has been found and it sets standards for live bird markets to further reduce risk of disease spread.
The USDA also works to prevent smuggling of illegal poultry and poultry products into Delaware and other states, as well as to test all legally imported birds for avian influenza.
Additionally, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service works with state departments of natural resources to monitor the migratory patterns of birds that could carry the avian flu into the United States.
When poultry diseases make their way to the United States, it is up to laboratories to identify the pathogen.
Dr. Clifford credited university laboratories for their efforts to detect poultry diseases in a timely fashion.
If avian flu is detected, the infected bird and the entire poultry flock typically are destroyed, but the chicken producers are compensated for their losses through an indemnity program.
"The key is early detection and rapid response," Dr. Clifford said. "You've got to find it and eliminate it."
Backyard flocks
But even with safety provisions in effect, there are significant challenges that face Delmarva when it comes to preventing and controlling avian flu.
Dr. Maurice Clarke, director of the Salisbury Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, said ownership of backyard chickens changes easily and the birds travel long distances, which could pose a risk to the spread of avian influenza.
"We encourage (backyard poultry owners) to ensure that their birds are tested before they're added to their flock," he said.
Also, he said it's important for all poultry owners to register their flocks with the state.
It's easy to test and survey commercial poultry farms during an outbreak, he said, but if backyard poultry owners don't register, there is no simple way for state officials to locate and test their birds during an outbreak.
Without proper testing, infected chickens could easily spread the disease to other flocks.
Dr. Clarke said just 30 percent of backyard poultry flocks are registered in Maryland.
"It's not very good, but we're working on it," he said.
Dr. Odor said 70 percent of backyard poultry flocks are registered in Delaware, and that those that aren't registered face a $250 fine.
"We realize we need to register our backyard poultry," he said. "And in Delaware it's the law to register."
Dr. Daniel Baushista, director of the University of Delaware's Lasher Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory, stressed that it is not illegal to have backyard poultry flocks, and that owners should not fail to register out of fear that their birds will be taken away.
In addition to registering their flocks, there are other steps bird owners can take to help prevent or control an avian flu outbreak.
Visit www.usda.gov/birdflu to learn more about the illness and what can be done to stop disease spread.
Post your opinions in the Public Issues Forum at newszap.com
Staff writer Jenny Maher can be reached at 741-8233 or jmaher@newszap.com
By Jenny Maher, Delaware State News
GEORGETOWN - In the past year, "avian influenza" has become a household term, courtesy of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, which has infected birds and caused human fatalities in other parts of the world, including Asia and the Middle East.
But for local and regional farmers, bird flu is hardly a new topic, Dr. Edwin Odor, administrator of the Delaware Department of Agriculture's Food Products Inspection Section, said at a Thursday briefing on avian influenza preparedness.
He was one of several experts who spoke at the event, held at the University of Delaware's Carvel Research and Education Center in Georgetown.
"Avian influenza is not new to Delaware and Delaware is not new to avian influenza," he said.
"Since 1983, Delmarva has been dealing with it."
Although the virulent H5N1 strain has not hit the United States, other strains have been found in parts of America, including the Delmarva Peninsula.
When not controlled quickly, the disease can wreak havoc on the poultry industry and threaten the livelihood of farmers.
Thursday's briefing gave members of the poultry and wild bird communities, including farmers, backyard poultry owners, pet bird owners and local veterinarians, an opportunity to learn more about low- and high-pathogen strains of the bird flu and how Delaware and Maryland plan to handle outbreaks.
Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse referred to Delmarva as a leader in avian influenza preparedness.
"(Our plan) reflects the best current science and technology available," he said. "We stay on the cutting edge and are recognized nationally and globally for our efforts."
He said the plan, which successfully contained a 2004 bird flu outbreak in Kent and Sussex counties, is based on cooperation, swift and decisive action, communication and transparency.
About 85,000 birds were destroyed in the two 2004 incidents, which happened just days apart.
He noted that Delaware ranks seventh in the nation in pounds of broilers produced and that an uncontrolled bird flu outbreak would be devastating to the local economy.
Even worse, if the high pathogen H5N1 strain comes to Delmarva, human lives would be threatened.
Safety measures
Mr. Scuse said state, regional and national experts are doing everything in their power to keep the dangerous strain away, as well as to make sure they're prepared if it strikes.
Dr. John Clifford, deputy administrator of veterinary services with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, explained Thursday how his agency works with states to prevent and control various strains of avian flu.
"All of us have a stake in this," he said. "We always have to strive to be better and better, and we can only do that by working together."
He said the National Poultry Improvement Plan, a USDA-administered program that aims to control certain poultry diseases, is an integral part of avian influenza preparedness.
The program establishes standards for the evaluation of poultry breeding stock and hatchery products and it identifies all products that conform to disease control standards.
Dr. Clifford also said the USDA restricts the importation of poultry products from regions where the high pathogen H5N1 strain has been found and it sets standards for live bird markets to further reduce risk of disease spread.
The USDA also works to prevent smuggling of illegal poultry and poultry products into Delaware and other states, as well as to test all legally imported birds for avian influenza.
Additionally, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service works with state departments of natural resources to monitor the migratory patterns of birds that could carry the avian flu into the United States.
When poultry diseases make their way to the United States, it is up to laboratories to identify the pathogen.
Dr. Clifford credited university laboratories for their efforts to detect poultry diseases in a timely fashion.
If avian flu is detected, the infected bird and the entire poultry flock typically are destroyed, but the chicken producers are compensated for their losses through an indemnity program.
"The key is early detection and rapid response," Dr. Clifford said. "You've got to find it and eliminate it."
Backyard flocks
But even with safety provisions in effect, there are significant challenges that face Delmarva when it comes to preventing and controlling avian flu.
Dr. Maurice Clarke, director of the Salisbury Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, said ownership of backyard chickens changes easily and the birds travel long distances, which could pose a risk to the spread of avian influenza.
"We encourage (backyard poultry owners) to ensure that their birds are tested before they're added to their flock," he said.
Also, he said it's important for all poultry owners to register their flocks with the state.
It's easy to test and survey commercial poultry farms during an outbreak, he said, but if backyard poultry owners don't register, there is no simple way for state officials to locate and test their birds during an outbreak.
Without proper testing, infected chickens could easily spread the disease to other flocks.
Dr. Clarke said just 30 percent of backyard poultry flocks are registered in Maryland.
"It's not very good, but we're working on it," he said.
Dr. Odor said 70 percent of backyard poultry flocks are registered in Delaware, and that those that aren't registered face a $250 fine.
"We realize we need to register our backyard poultry," he said. "And in Delaware it's the law to register."
Dr. Daniel Baushista, director of the University of Delaware's Lasher Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory, stressed that it is not illegal to have backyard poultry flocks, and that owners should not fail to register out of fear that their birds will be taken away.
In addition to registering their flocks, there are other steps bird owners can take to help prevent or control an avian flu outbreak.
Visit www.usda.gov/birdflu to learn more about the illness and what can be done to stop disease spread.
Post your opinions in the Public Issues Forum at newszap.com
Staff writer Jenny Maher can be reached at 741-8233 or jmaher@newszap.com
