Discover how Michigan is combating the high path avian influenza risk with an emergency order. Learn about their comprehensive response strategy. Will it be effective?
In an extraordinary measure to safeguard its agricultural sector, the state of Michigan has taken rigorous action against the rising threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This potentially devastating viral disease, often detrimental to dairy and poultry operations, has led to the inception of an emergency order. Leaning into this urgent need for security, Tim Boring, the director of Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, has called upon all commercial dairy and poultry farms to strengthen their biosecurity measures intensely.
“Necessities like cleaning, disinfecting, and logging all vehicles and individuals moving on and off-site have become indispensable part of the action plan,” says Boring. “Noteworthy is that, we have a greater number of impacted dairies than any other state besides Texas that have tested positive.”
As part of this proactive response, lactating dairy cows and poultry are prohibited from being exhibited until this ban is lifted by authorities. As Boring continues to underscore, “dairy producers want to be implementing practices to reduce the spread of this virus,” it’s clear there’s a broad consensus over the severity of this situation.
Acknowledging this imperative, Boring further affirms, “This is really some helpful guidance I believe, in putting those sorts of things into place for the protection of all of our livestock industry.”
Urgency is further underscored by the fact that, so far, six Michigan dairy farms have been confirmed with the virus. The impact of the outbreak on the state’s bird population has been indispensable, with Michigan recording more affected birds than any other US state this year. In a bid to rein in the spread, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reports reveal that six commercial flocks in Michigan have detected the virus, leading to nearly seven million birds being depopulated.
In closing, Michigan’s Extraordinary Emergency HPAI Risk Reduction Response Order enters into effect starting May 8. Truly extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and the state’s agile, assertive response offers a ray of hope against the persistent HPAI threat.
