On May 10, 2015, Pennsylvania Agricultural Secretary
Russell Redding addressed the Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee
and provided legislators with information regarding his department’s preparedness
for addressing any possible outbreak of avian influenza in the State’s poultry
industry.
Currently, twenty Western states
have experienced outbreaks of avian influenza.
As a result of these outbreaks, 47 million birds have died or been destroyed. Secretary Redding stated that while there
have been no reported cases of avian influenza in Pennsylvania, a recent
outbreak occurred in Macomb, Michigan-an area 150 miles from the Pennsylvania
border.
The Secretary communicated to the
law makers that for the last four months, his department, along with members of
the poultry industry and academia, have developed measures to both
prevent and deal with an outbreak of avian influenza. Secretary Redding called for more education of
poultry producers regarding proper preventive measures. He also stressed that that the public needed
to be made aware that there is no evidence that avian influenza is harmful to
humans.
Secretary Redding stated that currently,
the poultry farmers and bird owners bear all the risks and costs associated with
an outbreak of avian influenza. Because
such an outbreak could financially devastate poultry producers by causing long suspensions
of operations, the Secretary called for the legislators to develop a recovery plan which
could provide affected producers with some support until operations are resumed.
Written by M. Sean High - Staff Attorney
May 11, 2015
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