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National Poultry Improvement Plan standardizes biosecurity

The U.S. poultry industry has developed a standardized biosecurity plan.

Dr. Dale Lauer with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health says the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) is a direct result of the highly pathogenic avian flu outbreak in 2015.

“At that time we had 21 states with high-path influenza, and certainly Minnesota was affected.  And after an analysis to try and figure out where and how this disease moved throughout our poultry populations, it was determined that biosecurity was probably not the best or as good as it could’ve been.”

Compliance with the 14 biosecurity principles will be required by USDA for any future indemnity eligibility and apply to the turkey, broiler, and layer industries, as well as upland game bird operations.

Lauer tells Brownfield the success of the plan hinges on leadership at the farm level.

“For each company or poultry operation we need to have somebody in charge.  It does not necessarily have to be a veterinarian, but certainly one who is experienced in poultry operations, poultry raising, (and) understands traffic, sanitation, cleanliness.”

Lauer says NPIP audits will be conducted in the coming months to ensure each principle is in place, and adds they will not involve on-site visits.