The Georgia Department of Agriculture implemented biosecurity measures immediately following positive Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza results at two Georgia Farms.
The farms in Elbert County tested positive for HPAI on January 16 and 17. GDA immediately put them into quarantine. The day following the positive test, the GDA had animal disease experts respond to the infected operations.
“Mitigation is the most important thing in this kind of situation,” said Matthew Agvent, Communications Director of the GDA.Â
While producers already implemented routine biosecurity practices after the Avian Influenza outbreak in the early 2000s, stricter protocols are mandatory for infected farms. Local police shut down the road to the farms, allowing only necessary visitors to enter.
Workers sprayed down vehicles to decontaminate them before entering and exiting the property. Anyone who stepped inside a poultry house utilized a foot bath to disinfect any bacteria they may carry on their shoes. Hand washing is mandatory, and sometimes showers are necessary.
After initial biosecurity steps have been implemented, poultry farms within a 10-kilometer radius of the infected farm must undergo routine testing. Tests are performed every other day from zero to three kilometers from the impacted farm, and operations three to ten kilometers away undergo tests twice a week.
If a producer is concerned that a bird in their flock is showing symptoms of HPAI, they must report it to the Georgia Poultry Lab Network or use the Avian Influenza Hotline. They will send a representative to swab the flock showing symptoms. Within 24 hours, the Poultry Lab in Gainesville, Georgia, will perform the test. The results will determine the next steps.
This virus is highly transmissible. Within 72 hours of a flock becoming infected, the entire flock will die of the disease. The department tries to depopulate the infected flock within 24 hours in order to contain the outbreak.
The USDA has been battling HPAI since February 2022, when 160 billion birds were affected. Of that population, 205,000 birds were in Georgia, the nation’s number one poultry-producing state.
The GDA took swift and decisive action in response to the recent outbreak of HPAI. With the confirmation of positive cases, the department emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced biosecurity measures across poultry farms. These measures include frequent testing, increased disinfectant protocols, and following depopulation procedures to prevent further virus spread.
Agvent is over all communications efforts of the GDA.
“I think that (the numbers) goes to show that we’re doing a very good job here thanks to the poultry industry, our poultry producers, and our animal health professionals,” said Agvent.
Poultry is one third of market value and represents $30 billion in annual economic impact in the state. The commodity employs 100,000 Georgians.
Agriculture is Georgia’s number one industry for economic development, and HPAI can have a significant economic impact if not handled swiftly.
As the situation devolves, cooperation from farmers, veterinarians and state agencies are essential to mitigate the impact of this highly contagious disease. The public is urged to stay informed and report suspicious activity to protect the state’s poultry industry and public health.
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