Tom Polansek

CHICAGO, (Reuters) – U.S. poultry growers are tightening security measures to protect their flocks from disease-prone wild birds. Experts warn of the possibility that they could be spreading avian flu throughout the United States.

On Wednesday, Indiana reported an outbreak in highly pathogenic bird influenza on a turkey farm. This prompted South Korea and Mexico to prohibit poultry imports from Indiana and put the industry at risk during a time of food inflation and labor shortages.

It is currently widespread in Europe, and affects Africa, Asia, and Canada. However, the Indiana outbreak, which occurs on a migratory birds pathway, has particularly affected U.S. farmers. In 2015, nearly 50 million bird flu cases in America were caused by a devastating outbreak that struck turkeys and eggs-laying birds in the Midwest.

According to U.S. Government, America is the most prolific producer of chicken meat and the second largest exporter.

“Everyone is just sitting on edge because we know what can happen and we don’t want a repeat of that,” said Denise Heard, vice president of research for the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, an industry group.

Perdue Farms is suspending in-person visits at farms by poultry companies to stop spreading the disease. She said that advisors now communicate with farmers by phone and email in order to strengthen protocols and monitor bird health.

Mike Naig from Iowa, Iowa’s agriculture secretary, said that when you have a confirmed case in the country now, there is an increased risk. We need to increase our alert level for the safety of livestock farmers.

Experts believe that a wild bird spread H5N1 virus to Indiana. This strain can also be passed to people from the East Coast. Officials have confirmed that the disease was transmitted by wild ducks.

The U.S. Agriculture Department deemed the disease to be low-risk for humans. [nL8N2TL3UN]

Tyson Foods Inc (NYSE) said Monday that it had increased biosecurity in East Coast facilities following wild bird diseases. It said that it had reduced visits to farms and taken longer to clean cars.

Experts speculate that wild birds that were on the East Coast might have interacted with the ones that flew through the Mississippi Flyway, which includes Indiana and other major poultry-producing States like Mississippi and Alabama.

Heard stated that flu can spread from one coast to another.

According to Carol Cardona (an avian health professor at University of Minnesota), other commercial poultry flocks might be affected by the virus as wild birds fly through flyways. However producers have made improvements in safety since 2015.

One important change is that farmers often ask people entering poultry barns to remove their shoes and clothes so no contaminated material can be brought in, such as feathers or feces.

Cardona stated, “We know that the virus could just be outside our door.”

Over 700 cases of bird flu have been reported in Europe. More than 20 countries are currently affected. Tens of millions have been killed.

According to the British government, the country is experiencing its worst ever bird flu season. Italy however has more than 300 cases. France, Poland, Hungary and Poland have all reported significant amounts of cases.

It struck at the same time as US poultry stocks were falling due to increased demand. Also, there are labor shortages occurring in the meat plant due to COVID-19.

Data from the government showed that U.S. frozen poultry supplies fell 14% compared to a year earlier at the December 31st, while turkey inventories dropped 23%.

Indiana officials have begun testing the poultry farms around an infected farm. It is located in Dubois County, Indiana. On Thursday, the state stated that all testing had been negative and that further tests will be conducted on a weekly basis.

Those negative tests have not relaxed James Watson, the state veterinarian in Mississippi, the fifth-biggest chicken-meat-producing state. He predicted that the virus will be spread by wild ducks until more warm weather allows them to migrate to northern breeding areas.

Watson stated, “Even though they solve this without any other issues we will still be on high alert.”