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Poultry producers urged to stay vigilant protecting flocks

An extension educator is urging poultry producers to stay vigilant protecting flocks against avian flu.

Abby Neu with the University of Minnesota says even though the avian influenza outbreak was three years ago, she’s confident turkey growers continue to uphold the strictest biosecurity measures.

“Their fear in the back of their mind of another event like 2015 happening is going to prevent them screwing up essentially.  They don’t want to see that and don’t want to be the first farm to break.”

She tells Brownfield National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) principles adopted after the 2015 outbreak are comprehensive, so attention to detail remains critical.

“So for instance, NPIP essentially has 13 different principles.  And sometimes those are going to have holes in them.  They might not think about their employees who like to hunt waterfowl and then come to work.  Those are sometimes things that people probably aren’t thinking about.”

She says record-keeping is another essential element of an effective biosecurity plan.

Brownfield interviewed Neu at the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention in Minneapolis Wednesday.