Georgia regained its status as free of HighlyPathogenic Avian Influenza, HPAI, in poultry on March 13, which means the statecan restart exports and international trade of its poultry products.
Daily, Georgia poultry farmers produce 26 millionto 30 million pounds of chicken and over seven million eggs, according to theGeorgia Farm Bureau. Georgia is the country’s largest poultry-producing state.If it were a country, it’d be ranked as fifth or sixth largest producer in theworld.
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our GeorgiaDepartment of Agriculture staff and partners in this response, today, we areable to declare the State of Georgia is free from HPAI,” said GDA CommissionerTyler Harper. “While this declaration marks the end of our operations at theaffected premises and in the control zone, HPAI remains a significant threat toour state’s #1 industry, and we will continue working around the clock to keepHPAI out of our state, protect Georgia’s poultry flock and bring down pricesfor Georgia consumers.”
Under World Organization for Animal Healthguidelines, HPAI-free status in poultry can be declared for a state after thedisease has been eliminated on all affected farms and no new infections aredetected during a minimum period of 28 days.
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