USDA updates turkey flock H5N1 surveillance policies following raw turkey pet food contamination

Photo: Joe/Adobe Stock

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently updated it policy for pre-slaughter surveillance of turkeys in its efforts to control the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The announcement comes after a household cat contracted HPAI H5N1 from infected raw turkey pet food in late December 2024.^1,2

“Out of an abundance of caution, and to remove a potential avenue for ongoing disease spread as well as to bolster consumer and trading partner confidence, APHIS collaborated with state animal health officials and the poultry industry to update its guidance for existing pre-slaughter surveillance steps to further ensure that affected poultry does not enter the food system,” the agency wrote in a news release.¹

For turkey premises outside control zones in states affected by HPAI, the new updates involve the implementation of isolation protocols, clinical monitoring, and premovement testing 72 hours before transporting turkeys to slaughter. The initiative will be piloted by the APHIS and will begin with turkey premises with more than 500 birds in Minnesota and South Dakota. States were chosen based on current and historical HPAI cases in commercial turkey premises in these regions, as well as genetic links between HPAI H5N1 in infected cats and the high frequency of HPAI cases in turkeys, according to the APHIS.

The agency will keep assessing the outbreak's progression and may revise the policy again to add more states if necessary.¹ “USDA consistently operates on a science-based, step-by-step approach, informed by what it learns about this virus through its everyday work and research and surveillance efforts,” wrote the APHIS.¹ “APHIS will continue to update its guidance for pre-slaughter surveillance schemes as USDA continues to follow the science on HPAI.”

In the last 30 days, 89 flocks, including commercial and backyard, have tested positive for HPAI, totaling 12.97 million birds on infected premises.³ According to January 20, 2024 data, the virus was last detected on January 17, 2025 in Georgia, Indiana, New York, and Ohio, with 499,700 birds affected from this most recent HPAI detection.³ Confirmed HPAI findings will continue to be reported by APHIS to the World Organization for Animal Health and on the APHIS website.¹

In May 2024, the USDA announced the allocation of $824 million in emergency funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation to the APHIS to better protect the health of the nation’s livestock and poultry, and to support initiatives to address H5N1. The fund supports anticipated diagnostics, field response activities, pre-movement testing, and surveillance and control efforts, including wildlife monitoring by APHIS.^1.4 It also supports the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in developing HPAI vaccines for cattle, goats, pigs, and turkeys, as well as funding for food safety research conducted by ARS and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).^1,4

According to the APHIS, multiple studies have been carried out by FSIS, APHIS, and ARS to confirm that properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to consume. To assess the safety of the meat supply, these agencies have conducted 3 separate beef safety studies on avian influenza in meat from dairy cattle, according to the APHIS.¹

“USDA remains confident in the safety of the food supply,” the agency wrote. “We also continue to encourage all bird owners to practice strong biosecurity—that means reducing opportunities for wildlife to spread the virus to their birds and preventing the spread of the virus from one premises to another.”

References

1. APHIS updates policy to enhance surveillance of turkey flocks in highly pathogenic avian influenza affected states. News release. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. January 17, 2025. Accessed January 20, 2025. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/aphis-updates-policy-enhance-surveillance-turkey-flocks-highly-pathogenic
2. Bautista-Alejandre A. Several cat deaths reported following bird flu exposure through raw pet food and milk. dvm360. January 16, 2025. Accessed January 20, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/several-cat-deaths-reported-following-bird-flu-exposure-through-raw-pet-food-and-milk
3. Confirmations of highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial and backyard flocks. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. January 20, 2025. Accessed January 20, 2025. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks
4. Bautista-Alejandre A. USDA takes additional measures to contain the spread of avian influenza A. dvm360. June 27, 2024. Accessed January 20, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/usda-takes-additional-measures-to-contain-the-spread-of-avian-influenza-a