Avian Influenza Response

 

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

In the wake of the recent avian influenza detection in two flocks near Benton City that has resulted in quarantine measures being put in place for parts of Benton and Franklin Counties

WSDA officials asked Leslie Linderoth, a backyard poultry owner in south Kennewick who for the last 30 years has taught 4H and adult education classes on raising backyard chickens, if she would host an informative demonstration for the media on what a free range poultry owner should be doing in regards to biosecurity measures. Six veterinarians representing Washington state, Oregon and the USDA were on hand for the event.

LINDEROTH: The guys showed how they get into their outfits and demonstrated the clean barrier versus what they consider the contaminated zone and answered questions and things. They are just basically saying, look, we have the isolated two cases in Benton County and they’re going to continue running surveillance and tests but as long as no more flocks come up positive by the end of the month, if nothing else happens, then hopefully quarantines could be lifted and things could go back to normal. It’s weird to think about how our area could be having an impact on countries that are quarantining things.

Tomorrow Linderoth, whose birds have all been tested for the avian influenza virus and check out fine, will talk about the biosecurity measures she has put in place to protect her backyard flock.

That’s Washington Ag Today.

I’m Lacy Gray with the Ag Information Network of the West.