APHIS reopens comment period of poultry indemnity program

The Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has reopened the public comment period on an interim final rule updating the conditions for poultry facilities to receive indemnity and compensation after testing positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu.Comments will be accepted for 30 days, until April 14.

APHIS said, “Based on evidence that strong biosecurity measures remain the most effective strategy to combat HPAI, the rule requires that farmers pass a biosecurity audit before restocking their poultry after an HPAI detection, and before receiving future indemnity payments.”

“APHIS will also require a biosecurity audit for commercial poultry premises within the “buffer zone” (minimal 7 km radius around the infected zone) of a control area prior to movement of poultry onto the premises if the owner wishes to be eligible for future indemnity for the poultry moved onto the premises.”

Additionally, APHIS will not pay indemnity for flocks moved onto premises in active infected zones if the flocks become infected with HPAI within 14 days following the dissolution of the control area around an active infected premises.

“A producer who does not make corrections recommended in APHIS’s biosecurity audit will not be eligible for indemnity payments if the premises experiences future infections within the same outbreak.”

–The Hagstrom Report