Agriculture

Contagious bird flu strikes Vermont

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One bald eagle dead, another sick / Risk to humans “low” / not a food safety risk

With the discovery of a deceased bald eagle in North Hero and one ill bald eagle in Shelburne on March 29, Vermont joined 33 other states across the country in detecting highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the environment. 

The bald eagles were found near Lake Champlain in both towns.  Sampling was conducted by USDA Wildlife Services and tests were conducted for presence of HPAI at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.  The discovery reinforces the important public message of awareness and vigilance for poultry owners, farmers, and hunters and outdoors recreationists to not only report sick and dead birds, but to recognize the dangers of HPAI to our small backyard poultry owners and commercial operators. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to the general public from this HPAI virus to be low, but the virus is deadly to domestic and commercial poultry and backyard birds.  All bird owners are strongly encouraged to review the below biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks.

For the agriculture community and poultry owners:

The HPAI virus is often initially introduced to domestic poultry by infected wild birds, through direct contact or contact with their droppings, and then may spread between poultry flocks due to poor biosecurity and/or unfavorable environmental conditions.  While some waterfowl species can carry the disease without becoming sick, the HPAI virus is generally fatal for domestic poultry.  Risk factors for the spread of HPAI include:

  • Poultry housed outside
  • Ponds or other wild bird attractants on the farm
  • Piles of debris located close to poultry areas
  • Introduction of poultry from other farms without a quarantine period
  • Lack of personal protective equipment such as dedicated coveralls and boots
  • Sharing of equipment between farms
  • Unrestricted human movement and interaction with poultry

Anyone involved with poultry production, from the small backyard coop to the large commercial producer, should review their biosecurity activities to ensure the health of their birds, restrict human movement onto the farm and limit contact with poultry to only those who need to be there. Non-essential personnel and visitors should not be allowed.

USDA has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available here.  In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets at 802-828-2421 or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593 as soon as possible.  Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found here. 

For the fish and wildlife community:

If you hunt wild fowl during Vermont’s available hunting seasons, please keep these tips in mind.  Make sure to review the department’s avian influenza bulletin under the wildlife diseases section of our website for the most up to date information on reporting possible cases and safety measures.

For Vermonters:

No human infections with this HPAI virus have been detected in the United States, and Vermonters may take these steps to prevent infection.  Influenza in poultry does not constitute a food safety risk.  Vermonters are asked to be alert for dead or sick birds and to alert the USDA or Vermont authorities at 802-828-2421 or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593 as soon as possible. 

Categories: Agriculture

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16 replies »

  1. Sounds like a re-run of Covid . . . with birds. I wonder what the “testing” methodology is. I wonder how many millions more poultry birds will be slaughtered–and how perilous our food supply will become–in the name of “safety.”

  2. If only there were proof viruses exist.
    And serious study the removes pesticides and aerosols being sprayed daily on Vermont, as the cause.
    Testing for ‘viruses’ has been debunked from the swabs to the existence of viruses (CDC confirms NO VIRUSES HAVE EVER BEEN ISOLATED via FOIA’d requested submitted by researcher Christine Massey).
    So what IS killing these birds?
    5G was activated in Vermont in January nationwide, including here in Vermont.
    As migratory birds come north, we can expect more casualties.
    But not from non-existent viruses – but from EXTANT pollutants and new introductions of life killing millimeter radiation we can’t see…but we all die from nevertheless, or at the least suffering radiation poisoning.
    And what are THOSE symptoms?

    Do the research because no one wants you to put this together.
    Pesticides, and radiation poisoning are the most realistic culprits.
    And both affect ALL life in Vermont.

  3. I, for one, do not trust any government official narrative, Federal or State. Due to the corruption and endless lies, all credibility is lost. The manufactured crisis upon crisis has led us to institutional collapse. Any disease or virus in the food supply (wild or domestic) is likely part of the Biden Administration’s assertion and guarantee we will face food insecurity. Our water supply is also a target for poisoning us slowly or quickly. Vermont will experience things not seen since the Great Depression in the coming months.

  4. they should be wearing a mask and social distancing. Perhaps if we closed their business of hunting and gathering they would be healthier!

    • Please don’t not use a horse wormer that is a pesticide for a thousand pound animal to prevent COVID. This is toxic to people and right in the label “Do Not use of animals intended for human consumption”

  7. Meanwhile, Vermont’s use of dangerous pesticides and herbicides continues, and human stupidity soars to new heights. I cannot wait to her what CDC’s solutions to this “new problem,” will be.

    • Yes, Roundup is still readily available in local stores as well as GMO seeds. We also have protected species listed by Vermont Fish & Wildlife for the timber rattlers as they need poisonous reptiles for future plandemics.