ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

Eliminating highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus from your property is 

a crucial step toward restocking and, if you are a business owner, resuming 

operations. You are responsible for handling the cleanup work at your farm, 

either on your own or by hiring contractors. The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) pays you a standard amount for virus elimination costs. 

We can also answer any questions you have during this process and direct you 

to helpful resources.

Completing the virus elimination work thoroughly, and in line with best 

management practices, is very important. This is the last major step before 

your site is retested for HPAI and then, if virus-free, approved for restocking. 

The goal is to make sure that you can restock your facility with minimal risk of 

it becoming reinfected.

Virus Elimination

The virus must be eliminated from the barn or poultry house, equipment, 

and all affected areas of the farm. In many cases, the quickest and most 

cost-effective way to accomplish this is to conduct “dry” cleaning and then 

heat treatment. This work usually takes about 2–4 weeks to complete.

First, organic material (for example, soil, manure, bedding, and feed) is removed 

using shovels, brooms, and brushes during the dry cleaning phase. These 

materials will be disposed of per Federal, State, and local regulations. For any 

item that cannot be safely cleaned, your case manager can help to appraise it 

and decide on an appropriate disposal method. After dry cleaning is done, 

affected sites and equipment must be heated to 100–120 degrees Fahrenheit 

for 7 days, with at least 3 of those days being consecutive. 

There are other effective options, including wet cleaning or chemical 

treatments, that some producers may prefer and find more economical. USDA 

will give you a written summary of the available options so you can make the 

best choice for your facility.

Testing

After cleaning and disinfection, your site must stay empty for at least 21 days. 

During this time, animal health officials will return to collect environmental 

samples from different areas on your farm. These samples will be tested for 

HPAI to ensure the virus has been eliminated, at either the National Veterinary 

Services Laboratories in Ames, IA, or a National Animal Health Laboratory 

Network lab. Test results typically take 3–8 days for you to receive them. 

Eliminating the HPAI Virus:

Cleanup and Testing for a Virus-Free Farm for Your Birds

Virus elimination is the 

last major step before your 

site is retested and then, 

if virus-free, approved for 

restocking. The goal is to 

make sure that you can 

restock your facility 

with minimal risk of it 

becoming reinfected.
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

Payment Rates

We pay virus elimination costs using a standard flat rate, with different rates for 

caged- and floor-reared facilities. The rate is based on the average cost for dry 

cleaning and heat treatment at like facilities. 

You may apply your flat-rate payment toward any available method of cleaning 

and disinfection work approved by USDA. The only exception is if you choose 

to keep your barn empty (“fallow”) for 90 to 120 days, rather than cleaning and 

disinfecting directly. Because there are no cleaning costs associated with 

fallowing, USDA cannot offer any funding for it. 

For More Information

If you have specific questions, talk with your case manager or call the nearest 

USDA office (www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-health/state-offices). 

For general information on HPAI and emergency response, go to 

www.usda.gov/avian_influenza.html and www.aphis.usda.gov/fadprep.

Here, you can also download USDA’s “HPAI Outbreak 2014–2015: Cleaning & 

Disinfection Basics (Virus Elimination),” which gives more technical details 

about this topic.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

APHIS 91-85-011

Issued January 2016

ACTIONS YOU NEED TO TAKE

• Determine how you will 

accomplish virus elimination, 

whether by doing the work 

yourself or by hiring contractors. 

• When all work is done, let USDA 

know via your case manager. We 

will conduct environmental tests 

to confirm that your property is 

virus-free. 

• Regardless of what cleanup 

method you use, follow all best 

practices for virus elimination.