HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania officials are intensifying efforts to protect the Commonwealth’s $7.1 billion poultry industry as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza continues to devastate flocks, killing millions of birds and threatening one of the state’s most critical agricultural sectors.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said the Shapiro Administration is deploying a multi-front response that includes strict biosecurity protocols, rapid-response personnel, expanded disease testing, and the nation’s only dedicated HPAI Recovery Fund to help farmers survive outbreaks and resume operations.
“Government and industry working together in a crisis makes the critical difference between failing and getting back to business,” Redding said. “This avian influenza outbreak has been the biggest animal health crisis in American history. And Pennsylvania is getting back to business because our skilled response team has been unwavering in their dedication through bitter cold and brutal heat, working under extreme pressure alongside farmers and other industry professionals whose livelihoods are at stake.”
The HPAI Recovery Fund, created by the Shapiro Administration, has received $75 million in state funding since 2022 and currently holds $59.45 million in reserve. To date, about 300 poultry business owners have received a combined $15.9 million in grants to offset losses and invest in enhanced biosecurity.
Redding urged producers whose flocks are infected or sidelined due to nearby outbreaks to apply for recovery grants, calling them a lifeline during forced shutdowns.
“I’ve seen firsthand how meaningful these recovery grants can be to family farms,” said Chris Pierce, president of Heritage Poultry Management Services. “This is a life-impacting investment that gives farmers hope during a time when their sole source of income has been paused. The grant gets them through to the other side, when they can refill their barns and get back in business.”
State Veterinarian Dr. Alex Hamberg emphasized that prevention remains the first line of defense.
“Biosecurity — the preventative steps farmers take every day to help keep viruses from spreading on their farms — should be at the top of every farm management team’s operational plan,” Hamberg said. “When everyone who sets foot on a farm follows the procedures in a biosecurity plan tailored to that farm, disease risks decrease.”
To support detection and containment, Pennsylvania has dramatically expanded testing capacity. Three labs in the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System tested more than 672,000 samples for HPAI between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, including over 200,000 poultry samples. Governor Josh Shapiro secured $6 million in the 2024–25 budget to add a fourth lab at Penn State’s Beaver Campus and proposed another $11 million in his 2026–27 budget to strengthen agricultural preparedness, including $2 million to support operations at the new lab.
Legislative changes signed in 2025 also modernized animal health laws, expanding who can collect HPAI test samples and allowing legally authorized workers — not just U.S. citizens — to become Certified Poultry Technicians. The changes, combined with translated training materials and expanded instruction, have added 211 new workers to help combat the disease.
Despite these efforts, the virus continues to take a heavy toll. Since the current outbreak began in February 2022, Pennsylvania has lost more than 9.5 million birds across 44 commercial flocks and 67 backyard flocks in 23 counties. In the past 30 days alone, infections in two commercial flocks and seven backyard flocks killed nearly 2.3 million birds. The most recent cases were confirmed February 3 in two Lancaster County flocks totaling more than 780,000 birds.
Officials stress there is no risk to the general public and that poultry products and eggs remain safe if cooked properly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said avian influenza poses very low risk to human health, though people working closely with birds should use protective gear.
Wild birds continue to spread the virus, with risks expected to rise as migration increases. Residents are urged to report sick or dead wild birds to the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD, while farmers should report unexplained flock illnesses to 717-772-2852 and consult guidance at agriculture.pa.gov.
Pennsylvania agriculture supports nearly 48,800 farms, close to 600,000 jobs, and contributes $132.5 billion annually to the state economy. Officials said protecting poultry producers remains central to the Shapiro Administration’s broader economic development strategy as the fight against avian influenza continues.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.