USDA - Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Emergency Response Updated August 26, 2025

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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Emergency Response


Last Modified: August 26, 2025

The materials on this page are specific to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). You can use these tools and resources to prepare for and respond to an outbreak of this disease.

We also offer general materials that apply not only to HPAI, but other foreign animal pests and diseases as well. To view these materials, visit Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness and Response.

Continued: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-emergencies/hpai
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From the above Report:

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Response

Policy for enhanced pre-slaughter surveillance of meat producing poultry flocks in affected States located outside of active Control
Areas

Effective August 26, 2025

Please note: These procedures may be revised as the situation continues to change.

BACKGROUND

Current pre-slaughter surveillance for commercial poultry premises located within active Control

Areas requires polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing within 48 hours prior to movement. Pre-

slaughter surveillance testing for commercial poultry, located outside of an active Control Area, is

primarily conducted via serology and can occur up to 21 days prior to movement to slaughter. This

testing scheme could miss infected but not clinically apparent birds if testing is not conducted

closer to movement to slaughter; it could also miss acute HPAI infection if testing is based on

serologic results alone.

Given the current increased risk of HPAI introduction to poultry and to exercise caution to allow

earlier detection of infected poultry premises located outside of active Control Areas, USDA

APHIS is updating its recommendations for existing pre-slaughter surveillance schemes and

clarifying its indemnity policies associated with this guidance.
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Continued: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/de...-policy-poultry-preslaughter-surveillance.pdf
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[Report is above. Bolding is mine]

APHIS updates bird flu surveillance recommendations
August 26, 2025

Pre-slaughter surveillance guidance for poultry outside HPAI control areas includes 72-hour isolation and shorter testing window.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced an update to its highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) surveillance guidelines for poultry, effective Aug. 26, 2025. To help protect the U.S. poultry industry from bird flu, the agency is updating its recommendations for poultry flocks being sent to slaughter, especially in affected states located outside of active HPAI control areas.

Among the updates made to the “Policy for enhanced pre-slaughter surveillance of meat producing poultry flocks in affected states located outside of active control areas,” APHIS said it now recommends a 72-hour pre-movement isolation period before birds are loaded for slaughter, during which no birds should be moved on or off the premises, and only essential personnel should enter.

In addition, testing guidelines were updated. Current pre-slaughter surveillance for commercial poultry premises located within active control areas requires polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing within 48 hours prior to movement to slaughter, while testing for premises outside control areas has typically been conducted via serology as far out as 21 days before movement – a wide window that raises the potential to miss infected birds not yet showing clinical signs.

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APHIS now recommends PCR testing closer to the time of shipment, especially if there are signs of higher-than-usual levels of mortality or illness without a known non-disease cause. This helps detect infections that might not be caught by earlier testing.

For a multi-day loadout from premises outside control areas, APHIS recommends collecting samples daily from the remaining barns, with PCR test results received before birds are moved to slaughter. A negative test result should be obtained before initiating loadout. If a flock tests non-negative, regulatory officials will commence HPAI response activities such as quarantine or depopulation.

The guidance document additionally clarifies the agency’s indemnity policies pertaining to flocks that were moved or partially moved to slaughter where HPAI is subsequently detected. APHIS noted it provides indemnity for live birds that are depopulated due to a confirmed HPAI detection; birds that die before confirmation or are sent to slaughter and later discovered to be infected are not eligible for reimbursement.

“Testing closer to movement helps detect infections early and reduces the risk of sending infected birds to slaughter – protecting other farms, the food supply and the broader poultry industry,” APHIS stated.
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https://www.feedstuffs.com/policy/aphis-updates-bird-flu-surveillance-recommendations