With dangerous heat and heat index values climbing above 100 degrees across Northwest Georgia, veterinarians and agricultural experts are urging pet owners and livestock producers to take extra precautions to protect animals from heat-related illness.
Chattooga County’s poultry industry is a major piece of local agriculture, with 29 farms reporting poultry in the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture county data, including farms with broilers and layers. With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) confirmed at a commercial poultry operation in neighboring Walker County, agriculture officials say the situation is a reminder for both commercial growers and backyard flock owners across Northwest Georgia to double down on everyday biosecurity to keep the virus from spreading.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper is urging Georgians to prepare as extremely cold weather moves into parts of the state, with a potential winter storm expected to bring ice and snow beginning Friday night and lasting through the weekend. Harper says it is critical for pet and livestock owners to take precautions now to keep animals safe and warm, and he also warns that prolonged power outages at agricultural and food production facilities can lead to economic losses and serious food safety concerns.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper announced Monday that the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has officially released the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Control Area in Gordon County. The release follows the successful completion of all mandated testing and response protocols, with no new detections of the virus reported.
