Avian influenza has not been discovered in Pennsylvania, but the state is developing a response and recovery plan in case the virus appears in poultry flocks there.
“Nearly 220 Berks County residents who live in the 11th Senatorial District work in the poultry industry and have a positive economic impact to our economy of more than a quarter billion dollars,” said state Sen. Judy Schwank, the Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. “Much is at stake if this avian influenza outbreak hits our backyard.
“In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, we are keeping a close eye on the movement of this disease, which has no known impact on human health, and are urging our local poultry producers to not wait to begin biosecurity measures to safeguard their flocks.
Avian influenza has been confirmed in 21 states, but no cases have been confirmed in Pennsylvania, or the Atlantic flyway, where Pennsylvania is located. However, John Clifford, the chief veterinary officer of the United States, has stated that the USDA is preparing for the virus to be found in all four flyways – Pacific, Central, Mississippi and Atlantic – in the fall.
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