MOSA provides our clients with much more than just certification.

Joe Pedretti

MOSA Client Services Director

Protecting Organic Flocks from Biosecurity Risks

PROTECTING ORGANIC FLOCKS FROM BIOSECURITY RISKS 

     by Christine Davies, Client Services Specialist 

A “biosecurity risk” is potential for harm caused by a biological agent, such as disease. By now, many farmers and consumers alike have heard of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Avian Influenza, or “Bird Flu” has made headlines in recent years, wiping out flocks and influencing egg prices. HPAI is spread through visiting carriers of the virus, which could include humans carrying it on their clothing or the droppings of migratory birds. So how can organic poultry farmers respond to outbreaks of HPAI and other biosecurity risks?

Outdoor access is required for organic poultry, and must be designed to encourage birds to go outside on a daily basis. Continuous total confinement of organic poultry indoors is prohibited, but there are a number of reasons why birds may be temporarily denied access to the outdoors. Because biosecurity risks can jeopardize the health, safety, and well-being of organic livestock, this type of risk may be reason for temporary confinement. 

Temporary confinement plans must be approved by MOSA – a standard operating procedure (SOP) describing your criteria, method, and duration of temporary confinement can be documented in your Organic System Plan (OSP), in which case you would not need approval each time you confine. 

What key information is needed for a biosecurity risk temporary confinement plan? 

1. Why are you confining? 

2. Is the risk specific to your geographic location? 

3. Which health authority identified the risk? 

4. When will you release the animals? 

Temporary confinement due to biosecurity risk must be linked to clear and present danger. Has an outbreak or risk specific to your geographic location been identified by health authorities? Each state has an agency responsible for Avian Influenza response – this may be your State Veterinarian, State Department of Agriculture, or State Board of Animal Health. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) tracks HPAI at the federal level. A fellow farmer or buyer are not considered health authorities, but they can certainly be your source of information to know what the health authorities are saying. If someone you know recommends that you confine your flock, ask them about their reasoning. Did they hear the directive from a health authority? Is the risk present in your geographic location? The duration of confinement depends on your specific threat and location. What criteria will determine that it’s safe for the birds to go outside again? Contact MOSA to discuss your proposed temporary confinement plan – a certification specialist will need to review and approve your plan. 

  • What records need to be kept to document approved temporary confinement?
  • Reason for confinement
  • Start and end dates
  • For biosecurity concerns, documented notices from APHIS or local/state health authorities 

Is confinement for HPAI biosecurity allowed due to migratory birds? APHIS monitors wild bird populations for HPAI threat. If health authorities declare that an outbreak of HPAI is linked to migratory birds headed toward your location, contact MOSA with your plans to confine or follow your approved SOP. Simply observing that birds are migrating, without any verifiable link to HPAI, does not meet the requirement to connect the threat to your geographic location. Biosecurity measures you can take to protect your flock: 

  • Wear clean clothes and footwear when tending your flock and require visitors to do the same.
  • Thoroughly disinfect farm entry points, shoes, and equipment. •
  • Limit human visitors to your flock, especially those with livestock of their own.
  • Store feed in a way that keeps wildlife out.
  • Keep the flock away from other disease sources, like ponds or wetlands that wild birds visit.
  • Have a temporary confinement plan and contact MOSA for plan approval. 

What should you do if you suspect HPAI? The symptoms of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza include: sudden death, lack of appetite, drop in egg production, soft-shelled or misshapen eggs, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, stumbling, swelling of the head, eyelids, wattles, and hocks. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for HPAI and depopulation is the only way to stop the disease. If you suspect HPAI in your flock, contact your veterinarian, state or local animal health officials immediately.