Many local farms in Iowa are now free of bird flu.
For most areas, it has been 60 days since poultry was depopulated, or 21 days since the completion of cleaning and disinfection. These made the control zones eligible to be lifted.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (Idals) announced Aug. 4 that out of 77 quarantined areas, it is now in the process of lifting 69 control zones in the state premises that were initially infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
Due to confirmed cases of HPAI, a 10-kilometer (6.21 miles) radius was established within each infected site. During quarantine, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship had to check poultry, poultry products, fuel, feed and the like before permitting transport beyond the 10-kilometer radius.
Eighteen counties were found to have at least one control zone. Now, with only eight control zones left, there will only be three counties — Adair, Sioux and Wright — and six farms that remain quarantined.
Some sites have also now started to repopulate.
Along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Idals announced that a previously HPAI-infected turkey farm has now started restocking its barn with birds. Having completed cleaning and disinfection and having gone through negative environmental tests, the farm is good as new and back in business. The farm, which is owned by the Brad Moline family, will hold a press conference near Manson next Monday.
Farm owner Brad Moline, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Dr. Jack Shere and Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management's director Mark Schouten will be joining the press conference.
Earlier, on May 19, Calhoun 1 farm was reported to be infected with HPAI. The farm's six barns hold 28,000 brooder poults and 14,400 finisher turkeys. The farm was repopulated more than 60 days later on July 19.
Since April this year, Iowa has reported 77 premises and 34 million birds infected with H5N2 and HPAI. This included 22 commercial egg production flocks, 25 commercial turkey flocks, 13 pullet flocks, six backyard flocks and one breeding flock for mail-order hatcheries.
Sites have been depopulated and flocks disposed. Sixteen sites have completed the cleaning and disinfecting process, with four now eligible for repopulation.
Photo: Ella Mullins | Flickr
