Vilsack: Producers hit by bird flu could reopen by fall

DES MOINES, Iowa — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday that producers hit by avian influenza could begin bringing birds back into facilities by fall.

“Our hope is by the end of the summer we’re in a position to get folks back into business across the entire 21 states that were impacted,” Vilsack said.

That’s “assuming we don’t have a re-emergence, and assuming everything goes well.”

Vilsack, along with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, spoke to about 300 poultry producers and state and federal officials at an industry conference in Des Moines.

The conference is focused on the lessons learned from the outbreak this spring that resulted in nearly 50 million laying hens and turkeys being destroyed across the country. In Iowa, hardest hit by the disease, producers lost about 31.5 million birds.

Officials worry the deadly virus could return this fall, when migrating waterfowl that carry the disease are flying south.

Vilsack said wild geese and ducks introduce the virus, but it is spread on workers’ boots and clothes, equipment and through water. It’s also believed to be spread on the air, dust and small birds that get into poultry facilities.

“We’re doing everything we possibly can to prevent it from occurring again and to mitigate its expansion,” Vilsack said.

The Department of Agriculture expects to provide $700 million to help producers cover part of their losses and to help humanely euthanize birds and clean up and decontaminate facilities.

“Obviously, the best biosecurity job may not be good enough, and there may be a re-emergence,” he said.

Vilsack said poultry producers need to push congressional leaders to include disaster programs for the industry in the next farm bill.

At the same time that chicken and turkey facilities are working to reopen, USDA is pushing a new vaccine ahead, Vilsack said. It’s been licensed to one company.

A new seed strain has been developed that’s 100% effective against the deadly virus in chickens, he said. Officials are unsure how effective it will be in protecting turkeys.

“We’re setting aside resources in the future so we’re able to purchase vaccines, so we can stockpile it,” Vilsack said.

Additionally, several other companies also are working to develop vaccines.

No humans have been infected by the virus, and the food supply remains safe, health officials said.

Vilsack said that of the 211facilities that were infected with bird flu, 90 have finished cleaning and disinfection efforts.

“Nearly 70 are restocking,” he said. “In Minnesota, nearly all of the control areas have been lifted. ... We’ll begin to see that in Iowa.”