Grower Response Plan

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is requiring any commercial poultry grower with 200 or more birds to submit an HPAI outbreak plan. A commercial grower would be any grower under contract with an integrated company.

“It’s very important that growers think through the worst-case scenario, because a confirmation of high-path avian flu would certainly be a worst-case scenario,” Meckes said. “We want each grower to consider their resources and location to determine how they can best handle an outbreak in a way that is environmentally sensitive and gets them back online as soon as is feasible.”

Growers need to submit the plan to the Veterinary Division no later than Sept. 15.

Companies can submit a master plan for all growers. The company would need to submit it with a list of farms that this will apply to. Companies also need to send a copy of the plan to every grower.

Growers will still need to submit the response plan template with their farm information and biosecurity protocols, as this will vary by premise, even though there may be a company policy on biosecurity. On the depopulation and disposal portions, the grower can state something to the effect of “Will follow the guidelines set forth by the company’s master plan.” The exception is if burial is the preferred method. Each premise will have to be preapproved for burial.

Letter from the State Veterinarian Dr. Doug Meckes (PDF)

Resources

• APHIS policies on HPAI response
• Emergency mass burial guidelines for HPAI (NCDA&CS)
  • Letter from Dr. Meckes about burial guidelines
• List of licensed soil scientists in North Carolina
• NCDENR Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Recommendations

Epidemiological Questionaires

• Egg Producers
• Turkey Producers
• Broiler Producers