Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper has expressed strong support for a bipartisan Congressional effort to urge the USDA to petition the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) to revise its definition of “poultry.”
Currently, their definition does not differentiate between commercial poultry and non-commercial or backyard flocks. This, according to Harper, has caused significant trade disruptions, costing Georgia’s poultry industry an estimated $300 million since a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak in a non-commercial flock in November 2023.
What’s the difference? Well, Georgia State Veterinarian Janemarie Hennebelle highlights that backyard flocks and birds raised-for-release are at higher risk of exposure due to interactions with wild birds, unlike commercial flocks which adhere to strict biosecurity measures.
Harper criticized the World Organization’s stance, arguing that treating avian influenza detection in non-commercial flocks the same as in commercial operations is illogical and harmful to Georgia’s poultry producers. In a recent press release, he emphasized the need for commonsense reforms to support American agriculture and protect jobs.
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