AI-affected produers suffer financial loss

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

Two commercial breeder chicken barns, on one of the Hopkins County farms infected with low-pathogenic avian influenza, stand empty after the depopulation process. Hopes are the outcome of testing at the national laboratory will result in the AI strain remaining the low-path variety. Other hopes are for governmental or company indemnity funds for the producers whose 48,000 chickens were depopulated. -- Staff photo by Cope

June 10, 2004 -- In Hopkins County, four chicken barns are empty. Freshly-turned dirt mounds near the barns give insight as to where the birds are now.

The chickens, on two farms in western Hopkins County, were depopulated in late May due to avian influenza (AI).

The situation has left two Hopkins County ag producers and their families with the anxiety of not knowing the personal financial outcome.

At the farms, about five miles apart, about 48,000 chickens - birds making up breeder flocks - were killed to prevent the spread of AI. The safety measure protects other farms' poultry, but it also leaves the birds' owners a little shaken.

On June 3, a week to the day since the first farm's flocks were depopulated, one producer admitted he was worried. "I don't know what's going to happen," he said in a tired, frustrated tone.

Both of the affected farms are under contract with Pilgrim's Pride as a breeder operation. The chickens produce eggs, which are then taken to the company's hatcheries.

The spokesperson for Pilgrim's, Sondra Fowler, said she didn't know about any governmental indemnity payments the affected producers could receive to compensate their loss.

Recently, because of poultry disease in the United States (such as England Newcastle Disease and high-pathogenic AI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture released indemnity funds for producers whose flocks were depopulated.

However, because the AI detected at the two Hopkins County farms is, at this point, low-pathogenic, the USDA indemnity funding option does not apply.

James Grimm, executive vice president of Texas Poultry Federation, said on June 3 he has hopes some USDA monies will become available, soon.

He offered more encouraging words: "If anybody has taken care of their producers, it's been Bo Pilgrim."

The Pilgrim's spokesperson, on June 3, said the company "hasn't decided yet" on how they will handle the financial burden this AI situation has caused their producers.

At best, the farms' 48,000 birds are worth over $150,000, according to an industry source.

Fortunately for the two affected producers, they have diversified their operations, and each has a supplemental source of ag income.

This latest AI situation began in late May at a commercial breeder farm in western Hopkins County. Routine testing (conducted by Pilgrim's every 10 weeks) found some of the chickens to be infected with the AI strain H7N3. On May 27, the producer was notified. "I didn't even know I had a problem," he said on May 28. The chickens were not showing symptoms of illness, nor was there any significant death loss.

Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials quickly stepped in to do their job; isolating, testing, then depopulating the flock of 24,000. The farm was placed under quarantine.

With the confirmation of AI, all poultry within a 10-mile radius became subject to testing. And, no transporting of poultry within the area can be done without permit.

During the testing, another Pilgrim's breeder farm was found to have the same AI strain. The producer elected to have the flock of 24,000 depopulated on May 30. The farm is also now under quarantine, as noted by the "Keep Out, Disease Control Area," sign at the front entrance.

Dr. Max Coats, TAHC's deputy director for Animal Health Programs, reported on June 4 "some good news. The third commercial breeder flock, within the surveyed 10-mile radius, has tested negative for AI."

As part of TAHC's job to ensure disease control, all poultry, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, within a 10-mile radius of the affected farms are being tested.

As of June 4, 168 "non-commercial" flocks have been identified within the surveillance area. Predictions are there are 225 non-commercial, or backyard, flocks to test.

As of June 4, no other cases of AI have been detected, according to Coats. Over 60 of the already tested non-commercial birds are on "hold order" until test results are announced.

Also, as of June 4, the actual virus, from the infected flocks' samples, has not been "isolated" during testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. The blood tested positive for AI, but for a guarantee of the strain, the virus itself must be isolated, according to Coats.

Hopes are the Hopkins County AI strain will remain in the low-path category. Initially, in the Texas case earlier this year in Gonzales, preliminary testing showed the strain to be low-pathogenic, but testing at the national lab proved differently. The high-pathogenic version of the virus, which has more capability to be transmitted, falls under restrictions defined by the Foreign Animal Disease Plan.

If these Hopkins County cases of AI remain low-path, hopes are the effect on trade will be minimal.

Dr. Parr Rosson, Extension economist, described the situation as "unfortunate. ... We were days away from getting (trade provisions from other countries) lifted."

When AI was detected in the United States early this year, in northeastern states such as Delaware and Pennsylvania, the news came on the heels of the AI outbreak in Asia. In Asia, the AI strain was one which could be transmitted to humans, and some humans died. And, to control the disease, more than 100 million poultry were killed, or depopulated.

Although the AI in the northeastern United States was highly pathogenic, the strain was unlikely to pass to humans.

Then, in February, a case of AI was found in Texas. A farm in Gonzales, owned by an independent poultry grower who mainly raised birds for slaughter, was determined the source of the virus. The grower's birds had visited live bird markets in Houston, so over 9,000 poultry were destroyed during the disease control efforts, reiterated Gonzales County Extension Agent Dwight Sexton.

These U.S. cases were cause for foreign countries, including the U.S. top importers Russia and Mexico, to ban U.S. poultry, live or frozen, from entering their land, Rosson pointed out. But as time passed without new AI cases, restrictions were being lifted and some U.S. poultry imports were being allowed.

Since the latest AI cases are testing to be low-path, "this shouldn't affect restrictions, and we will continue under previous provisions. ... So, when the time period runs out, we would go back to low risk," Rosson added.

The source for the Hopkins County AI is still undetermined. The disease can be transmitted by migratory waterfowl, service vehicles, boots, etc.

(Persons with questions, or information, about poultry should call 800-550-8242.)