USDA Working To Stave Off Bird Flu

The United States has not reported a serious avian influenza outbreak among commercial poultry flocks for four years. So what has the industry and USDA been doing in the meantime? 

Dr. Barbara Porter-Spalding, with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said they keep practicing and keep running exercises and drills to be ready with a response to the next bird flu outbreak; a speedy response. She said speed is definitely the thing. The faster an outbreak is spotted and contained, the less economic damage there is.  
And she says the key to a fast response is good communications.

"Communication within the incident response, communication among authorities, and communication to the public is so critical during an outbreak response."

And, she says, it's the area to most likely break down in an emergency. That's why USDA runs bird flu exercises and drills to expose weaknesses in the response plans.  After all she said, "to be good at this, just like any other endeavor they need to practice, practice, practice!"

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com