Northey Highlights Avian Influenza Preparations Following Confirmation of the Disease in the U.S.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has highlighted the continued biosecurity efforts by Iowa turkey, egg and broiler farmers and the preparations undertaken on the state and federal level following the confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Tennessee and low pathogenicity avian influenza in Tennessee and Wisconsin in the past week. Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to domestic poultry, and can spread rapidly from flock-to-flock.

Bird flu found at commercial chicken farm in Tennessee, USDA says

A strain of bird flu has been found in a commercial chicken farm in Tennessee, the US Department of Agriculture and state government agencies said Sunday. The H7 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, was found in a flock of 73,500 chickens in Lincoln County, in the central part of the state on the border with Alabama, the USDA said.

Duck waterslide, chicken hatchery at Pa. Farm Show

The first show that begins the second century of Pennsylvania Farm Shows is welcoming back the birds, after a year when fear of spreading the deadly avian influenza kept all forms of poultry away from the exhibition. “The birds are back,” shouted Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokesman Will Nichols.

Duck waterslide, chicken hatchery at Pa. Farm Show

The first show that begins the second century of Pennsylvania Farm Shows is welcoming back the birds, after a year when fear of spreading the deadly avian influenza kept all forms of poultry away from the exhibition. “The birds are back,” shouted Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokesman Will Nichols.

Duck waterslide, chicken hatchery at Pa. Farm Show

The first show that begins the second century of Pennsylvania Farm Shows is welcoming back the birds, after a year when fear of spreading the deadly avian influenza kept all forms of poultry away from the exhibition. “The birds are back,” shouted Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokesman Will Nichols.

UPDATE 1-U.S. scrambles to clear egg exports to bird flu-hit Korea

U.S. officials are urgently seeking an agreement with South Korea that would allow imports of American eggs so farmers can cash in on a shortage caused by the Asian country’s worst-ever outbreak of bird flu. The two sides are negotiating over terms of potential shipments after South Korea lifted a ban on imports of U.S. table eggs that it imposed when the United States grappled with its own bout of bird flu last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.