Announcement

**SeniorLearner** · November 20, 2025, 07:43 AM

For some perspective, Goldsboro is centered in Wayne County and a hub for the NC poultry industry. There are a LOT of susceptible poultry in the immediate area. A simplistic AI search generated the following 2022 USDA census data:

Specific poultry inventory numbers for layers in Wayne County, NC, are not available to the public as the data is withheld by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to protect the confidentiality of individual operations.
However, the most recent available figures from the USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture County Profile for Wayne County, NC provide the following data for December 31, 2022:

Broilers and other meat-type chickens: 1,910,090 head
Turkeys: 4,034,035 head
Pullets: 166,049 head

The data for "Layers" is marked with a (D), meaning the information is withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.

Keep an eye out for subsequent outbreaks in this area; hope and pray that this first one will be contained before it gains area spread traction, similar to the current northern Indiana debacle.

**Pathfinder** · November 20, 2025, 08:57 AM

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Turkey operation in Wayne County tests positive for High Path Avian Influenza

RALEIGH

A turkey breeding operation in Wayne County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza. The positive sample was first identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh.

This is the first case of high path avian influenza in commercial poultry in North Carolina since January 2025. Prior to this case, North Carolina had 14 commercial flocks and 12 backyard flocks impacted by avian influenza. The latest case in Wayne County impacts 9,500 turkeys.

“In recent months, cases of HPAI have increased across the country,” said State Veterinarian Mike Martin. “With HPAI in the wild bird population and in migratory flyways, commercial operators and backyard flock owners have remained on heightened watch for any signs of the virus in their flocks. Under HPAI protocols, we will be actively testing other flocks within the 10- kilometer zone in collaboration with our federal and industry partners.”

This strain of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but is highly contagious to other birds, including commercial and backyard flocks of poultry. The virus is also not considered a food safety threat, and infected birds do not enter the food supply. “This case of HPAI should not impact the availability of turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Martin.

Commercial operations and backyard flock owners should continue to follow strict biosecurity measures. If your birds are sick or dying, report it right away to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division, 919-707-3250, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System 919-733-3986.

More information on HPAI in general and an online listing of all N.C. cases since 2022 is at https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/vete...AvianInfluenza.

Turkey operation in Wayne County tests positive for High Path Avian Influenza

https://www.ncagr.gov/news/press-releases/2025/11/19/turkey-operation-wayne-county-tests-positive-high-path-avian-influenza

A turkey breeding operation in Wayne County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza. The positive sample was first identified by the N.C. Department…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...

...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

**Pathfinder** · November 25, 2025, 04:54 PM

...

...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

**SeniorLearner** · November 25, 2025, 05:34 PM

A third and 4th breeding flock awaits confirmation according to the NCDOA web site:

**Pathfinder** · December 1, 2025, 09:08 AM

...

...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

**Pathfinder** · December 8, 2025, 11:07 AM

...

...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

**Lance** · December 8, 2025, 05:57 PM

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/4247

**Lance** · December 15, 2025, 11:18 AM

wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/4309

**Pathfinder** · January 5, 2026, 09:14 AM

...

...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

**Pathfinder** · January 6, 2026, 10:40 AM

...

...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

**Commonground** · January 7, 2026, 06:22 AM

Bird flu found at three NC sites in 2026 so far. Here’s the latest on the virus
January 7, 2026

Two North Carolina poultry operations have tested positive for avian influenza so far this year and public health officials say growers should be vigilant about protecting their flocks. Outbreaks of H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza — commonly known as bird flu — have been confirmed at a commercial turkey operation in Sampson County in southeastern North Carolina and in a backyard flock in Franklin County, just northeast of Wake County, since Jan. 1. A third case, at a commercial turkey breeder in Sampson County, shows on the state website as confirmed but doesn’t show a specific date.

Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/lo...orylink=cpy