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HPAI control zones lifting in Michigan, leaders say lack of vaccine progress is concerning

The Michigan Allied Poultry Industry says control zones on turkey farms impacted by highly pathogenic avian influenza in the state have been lifted.

Nancy Barr tells Brownfield it’s about a two-month process after an outbreak before producers can fill their barns again.

“The producers never really made whole,” she says. “They do receive indemnity for those birds, and they get support with the cleaning, disinfection, and virus removal. But they don’t get any money for the loss of production.”

Barr says surveillance and response, and biosecurity are the only tools available to help protect animals from the virus until a vaccine can be approved.

“We really feel like that vaccine conversation has backed off,” she says. “We expected last July to have a vaccine plan from the USDA, and we have not seen anything at this point.”

The USDA says more than 77,000 turkeys were affected by the virus on Kent County farms in March.