Canada is blocking cross-border shopping for raw poultry, eggs and live birds from another border state, after H5N2 avian flu was confirmed in central Montana on Friday. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Friday expanded restrictions that block travellers to Canada from H5N2-positive states from bringing in live birds, hatching eggs, eggs, yolks, egg […] Read more
Canada blocking poultry from Montana, South Dakota
H5N2 avian flu arrives in South Dakota
Chicago | Reuters — A virulent strain of avian flu has spread for the first time to poultry in South Dakota and infected a fourth turkey flock in Minnesota, the nation’s top turkey producer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday. The latest infections of H5N2 flu show the virus, which can kill almost an […] Read more
Last of avian flu quarantines lifted in B.C.
The quarantine has been lifted at the last of the 13 farms in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley known to have been infected with highly-pathogenic avian flu. The farm, a 53,000-bird table egg layer operation at Langley, B.C., was confirmed Dec. 13 with high-path H5N2 avian flu. At the end of a 21-day waiting period following […] Read more
U.S. developing bird flu vaccine, no distribution plans yet
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. government is developing a vaccine to protect poultry from new strains of avian flu that have recently killed birds from Arkansas to Washington state. Within two months, scientists at a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research lab in Georgia will test the vaccine on chickens to see how well […] Read more
All but one avian flu quarantine lifted in B.C.
A table egg layer operation near Langley is now the only farm still under quarantine for avian flu in British Columbia. All 13 properties in B.C.’s Fraser Valley that had been quarantined for highly-pathogenic H5N2 or H5N1 avian flu since the beginning of December have since been culled of birds, cleaned and disinfected. A subsequent […] Read more
U.S. reports low-path H7N3 bird flu in California
Paris | Reuters –– The United States has reported a mild form of bird flu on a turkey farm in California, the World Organisztion for Animal Health (OIE) said Wednesday, the latest in a series of outbreaks to hit the U.S. poultry industry in recent months. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a report […] Read more
U.S. may impose tougher curbs to contain bird flu in Arkansas
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. authorities are considering imposing tougher restrictions in Arkansas to contain a virulent strain of avian flu in the heart of the country’s poultry region in a bid to minimize international trade disruptions and contain the virus. The H5N2 flu discovered in Arkansas last week is the state’s first case of […] Read more
Canada blocking poultry from Kansas, Arkansas
Canada has expanded its restrictions on imports of live poultry, uncooked poultry products and eggs to include those from Kansas and Arkansas, as avian flu has now appeared in birds in both states. The Kansas cases of highly-pathogenic (“high-path”) H5N2 avian flu are in a backyard chicken and duck flock in Leavenworth County, on the state’s […] Read more
U.S. bird experts mystified by Midwest avian flu spread
Chicago | Reuters — A virulent strain of avian flu that has killed turkeys in the heart of the nation’s poultry region has been found through molecular testing to be nearly identical to viruses isolated in migratory ducks. But some wildlife experts are skeptical of suggestions that wild birds are responsible for spreading the H5N2 […] Read more
U.S. exports at risk as bird flu enters heart of poultry country
Chicago | Reuters — A case of bird flu confirmed Wednesday in the heart of America’s poultry region, is certain to mean more export restrictions, increasing U.S. supply and likely forcing the world’s biggest poultry companies to trim prices. The U.S. government announced the infection of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian flu in turkeys in Arkansas […] Read more
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