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**USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT HELPS IN CALIFORNIA'S**

**AVIAN FLU PREPAREDNESS PLAN**

In recent weeks, news from Asia about avian flu, sometimes referred to
as bird flu or by the its particular virus strain, influenza H5N1, has
elevated concern in the United States about a potential outbreak of the
disease. This backgrounder provides information about this potential
public health threat and the facts about biosecurity in the United
States, especially in the California poultry industry.

The avian flu virus is spread by chickens, ducks and other birds and has
been a problem in Southeast Asia for years. Since late 2003, it has
killed at least 65 people in four Asian countries and has been found in
birds in Russia and Europe.

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.9027777777777777in"
height="2.053472222222222in"}Outbreaks of influenza H5N1 occurred among
poultry in eight countries in Asia (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan,
Laos, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam) during late 2003 and early
2004. At that time, more than 100 million birds in the affected
countries either died from the disease or were killed in order to try to
control the outbreak. By March 2004, the outbreak was reported to be
under control. Beginning in late June 2004, however, new deadly
outbreaks of influenza H5N1 among poultry were reported by several
countries in Asia (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia \[first-time
reports\], Thailand, and Vietnam). It is believed that these outbreaks
are ongoing. Human infections of influenza A (H5N1) have been reported
in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Currently, all 116 known human cases since 2003 have been in Asia, and
all but one or two were believed to have been spread directly from birds
to humans.

Despite its presence in Asia since 1996, the virus has not been detected
in the United States.

**Biosecurity: Asian Poultry vs. California Poultry**

In Southeast Asia, where the flu is already a major threat, chickens are
raised in mixed flocks with other birds, such as geese and ducks. In
some countries, birds are often sold "live." These methods of raising
and marketing fowl carry some inherent risks in terms of disease
transmission from bird to bird.

In the United States, and particularly in California, strict biosecurity
measures have been used for years to prevent the spread of serious
poultry diseases.

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="2.888888888888889in"
height="1.9618055555555556in"}Protection of domestic poultry flocks is
critical to prevent a possible spread of bird flu from birds to humans.
If avian flu were to get a foothold in the state, it would pose a public
health threat and a threat to the state's economy.

California, the nation's top farm state with more than \$34 billion in
annual crop and livestock production, is also an important poultry
state. The California poultry industry has an enormous impact on the
economy of the Golden State, producing sales in excess of \$2.5 billion
annually, making it one of the state\'s leading agricultural
commodities.

More than 25,000 people throughout the state, and indirectly, tens of
thousands more in affiliated industries including trucking and feed
suppliers, depend on a healthy poultry industry. California poultry
industry employees earn more than \$250 million annually, working in a
variety of jobs.

By the numbers, California produced approximately 17.3 million turkeys
in 2003, with a farm-gate value of \$158 million. California ranks sixth
in the nation in turkey production. California's top five turkey
producing counties, as a percentage of state production, are:

-   Fresno, 25.2%

-   Merced, 24.2%

-   Kings, 18.7%

-   Stanislaus, 16.1%

-   Tulare, 14.9%

Chicken ranks 15th among California\'s top 20 commodities, with a
farm-gate value of \$452 million in 2002, according to the California
Department of Food and Agriculture. The top four chicken-producing
counties are:

-   Fresno

-   Merced

-   Stanislaus

-   San Bernardino

Top California egg production, ranking 27^th^ on the state commodity
list, is also significant with a farm-gate value of more than \$200
million. The top five egg-producing counties in the state are:

-   Riverside

-   Merced

-   San Diego

-   San Bernardino

-   Fresno

*(Source: USDA, Agricultural Statistics Board)*

Generally, the state's poultry business is centered in the San Joaquin
Valley, particularly in Fresno, Merced and Stanislaus counties, where a
few major operations exist along with small producers and processors.

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*(Source: California Poultry Federation)*

**USDA Rural Development Beefs Up Poultry Biosecurity**

The threat of avian flu is greatly diminished in the United States by a
combination of factors previously mentioned and by the fact that the
state's poultry industry is aggressively implementing biosecurity
measures in conjunction with state and federal agencies, including USDA
Rural Development in California.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="2.888888888888889in"
height="2.1777777777777776in"}Rural Development has had a mission of
outreach to rural communities across the state and it is helping to
address the threat of avian flu. Through Rural Development funds to the
state's commercial poultry industry, the firewall has been strengthened
against potentially devastating diseases like avian flu, exotic
Newcastle disease and others.

USDA Rural Development has awarded \$125,000 in rural business grants to
prevent the introduction and spread of poultry diseases like avian
influenza and exotic Newcastle disease. The grants, presented by USDA
Rural Development State Director Paul Venosdel to the California Poultry
Federation, help fund the industry's ongoing biosecurity program of
education and outreach to Northern and Central Valley small poultry
producers and processors.

"Growing concern about avian flu strains that have affected people and
poultry flocks in Asia should be a reminder that we need to strengthen
California's defenses against diseases," said Venosdel. "These grants
provide important training to producers to strengthen the state's
firewall against diseases that can undermine the health of the state's
poultry industry, our nation's food security and the economic benefits
that poultry producers provide."

California Poultry Federation President Bill Mattos said Rural
Development funds have already helped develop educational materials and
a training curriculum to help small producers and processors who provide
products for ethnic and niche markets in the state.

"This biosecurity program reaches across many small producers \-\-\--
squab, chicken and turkey producers \-\-- who do not have the resources
to hire veterinarians and other specialists to develop biosecurity
programs," said Mattos. "This grant fills that void and allows us to
bring all of the specialists in biosecurity together to fortify our
defenses against a variety of poultry diseases."

The biosecurity program was launched in 2003 with \$75,000 in Rural
Development funds. Another \$50,000 rural business enterprise grant will
augment the industry's biosecurity program, which includes specialists
from USDA, the University of California, the California Department of
Food and Agriculture and poultry industry veterinarians.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="2.7506944444444446in"
height="2.8541666666666665in"}"These funds are integral to our training
program for producers and small processors, and they help place signage
on farms and processing facilities," said Mattos. "There's no doubt that
without Rural Development funds we would be more vulnerable to the
introduction of bird flu and other potentially devastating poultry
diseases in California. We certainly don't want a repeat of past
outbreaks of serious avian diseases."

An outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease in Southern California in
September 2002 resulted in the depopulation of more than 3 million
birds, including the destruction of 21 commercial poultry flocks. The
outbreak, the worst case of the deadly avian virus in about 30 years,
cost more than \$160 million to eradicate in a nine-month period. In the
early 1970s, an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease in California
forced agriculture workers to destroy 12 million birds in a \$56 million
eradication campaign.

**Bird Flu FAQs**

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="2.5277777777777777in"
height="1.8298611111111112in"}**What Is Avian Flu?\
**\
Also known as bird flu, it is an infectious disease in birds caused by
several strains of the influenza virus. It was identified in Italy in
1878. All bird species are at risk, although some are more liable to
infection than others.\
\
The natural host for the virus is migratory waterfowl, such as wild
ducks, which have a high resistance to infection. Domestic poultry are
particularly susceptible.\
\
The disease can be spread via bird droppings (which contaminate dust and
soil) and farm equipment such as vehicles or clothing. The trade in live
birds between countries has also caused the virus to spread.\
\
**What Happens To Birds That Get It?**\
\
The symptoms vary widely, from none or mild illness to highly contagious
and rapidly fatal epidemics. The contagious form has sudden onset,
severe illness, and carries a death rate of nearly 100 percent. The
virus can alter from being low-risk to high-risk very quickly through
genetic mutation.

**Where Is The Disease Found?**\
\
The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been found in Thailand, Vietnam,
Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Mongolia,
Malaysia, and North Korea. More recently it has spread to Russia and
Kazakhstan. In 2003, there was an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H7N7
strain in the Netherlands and Germany.\
\
**How Many Birds Are Affected?**\
\
In the latest outbreak, which started in late 2003, more than 150
million birds have been killed or culled in Southeast Asia alone. The
total number affected is expected to be much higher.\
\
**What Is The Danger To Humans?**\
\
Avian flu currently poses only a small danger, as the virus does not
normally infect animals other than birds or pigs. However, human beings
have been infected in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia,
although these cases were linked to direct contact with dead or diseased
poultry. One case of human-human contact was suspected in Thailand in
2004. There is no vaccine to prevent H5N1 infection in human beings,
although there are drugs to treat the illness.\
\
**Why Are Scientists Worried?\
**\
When H5N1 has infected human beings it is exceptionally lethal \-- of
116 confirmed cases, 65 have died. The concern is that this strain will
mutate so that it can be easily passed on from one person to another.\
\
(*Source: World Health Organization)*

**Summary**

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="1.7625in"
height="2.0277777777777777in"}While the threat of an avian flu outbreak
in the United States is serious and the virus has the potential to cause
illness and death, it does not pose the same risk compared to other
countries where it currently exists. Poultry production, marketing and
biosecurity methods are vastly different in California and in other U.S.
poultry states \-\-- literally oceans apart from methods used in
Southeast Asia.

Importantly, California poultry ranchers are receiving training and
education on the latest biosecurity measures, and there exists a strong
disease detection and exclusion safety net with state and federal
agricultural inspectors and veterinarians.

The best prevention against devastating diseases like avian flu is
education, preparedness and vigilance in biosecurity. USDA Rural
Development in California, along with its partner, the California
Poultry Federation, is working to protect the health of the state's
residents, its commercial and backyard poultry producers and the health
of the state's economy. Considering all of these facts, there is every
indication that the system to prevent avian flu from gaining a foothold
in California or any other state is highly effective and that the risk
of disease introduction is very low.

**Need More Information?**

More information about USDA Rural Development's partnership with the
California Poultry Federation on its biosecurity program is available by
calling Bob Krauter, public information coordinator, USDA Rural
Development, state office, (530) 792-5803, (916) 798-9295 (cell); Bill
Mattos, president, California Poultry Federation, (209) 576-6355; or
Mark Looker, communications manager, CPF (209) 604-9709.

***"Committed to the future of rural communities"***

***United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development***

***430 G Street, Agency 4169, Davis, CA 95616-4169***

***Telephone (530) 792-5803/Fax (530) 792-5841***

***http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ca/***