Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said the department is working to address the state’s first commercial poultry detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Elbert County.
“Poultry makes up over a third of our agricultural economy, over $30 billion part of our $84 billion ag industry in the state of Georgia,” Harper said. “It is critical that we address this as quickly as possible, and at the department we have gone to work, working to address this, to contain it, and to eradicate and ensure that the premises where we found the issue is are safe and secure.”
Harper said he is confident consumers have nothing to worry about and that the food supply is 100% safe.
“Our food supply is secure, and [the consumer] should have no issue in purchasing retail poultry products, meat or eggs at the local grocery store or even enjoying them at a local restaurant,” Harper said. “Nor will it impact the retailer's ability to be able to offer these products for sale or even obtain these products. We have rigorous inspection protocols and standards in place to ensure the safety of our food supply chain, as well as testing protocols that we monitor before any poultry flock is sent for that food supply chain and consumption.”
Harper ensured that no infected birds had entered the food supply chain.
“Every chicken in the poultry house that is taken to a slaughterhouse is tested before it ever goes to a slaughterhouse,” Harper said. “It cannot leave the farm until it is to be confirmed negative that's been in place for a number of years.”
Harper said they are currently working on containing HPAI and have started some surveillance of the area.
“We hope to be operationally completed here within the next couple of days,” Harper said “And then begin those rigorous surveillance protocols and continue to implement those that we have already implemented to ensure that we have no further detection and issues and that the HPAI has been eradicated from this particular area and no longer an issue for the state of Georgia at this time.”
Lastly, Harper asked those with backyard flocks or backyard poultry to monitor their birds.
“Obviously, we have had three outbreaks of backyard flocks in the state of Georgia over the last three years, and we want to ensure that we are monitoring that as well,” Harper said. “And if there any of those folks that may have those backyard poultry, if they see any clinical signs, to please let our folks know at the department or even at the poultry lab.”
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/1/1281768/georgia-agriculture-commissioner-says-no-infected-birds-have-entered-the-food-supply-chain