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USDA prepares for further avian flu outbreaks

The USDA is bracing for more possible avian influenza cases once the weather cools this fall.  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the House Agriculture Committee Wednesday that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has command and communication structures in place at the regional, state and county levels in case of further outbreaks.

“We’re looking at ways in which we can essentially identify assets and increase the number of incident command teams that would be available to go once this thing hits,” Vilsack told committee members.  “We are planning for a circumstance where we’re simultaneously having to deal with 500 outbreaks.  We think that’s sort of a worst case scenario situation, so we’re planning for that.”

Secretary Vilsack says the USDA is holding preparedness meetings in order to be ready for the next wave of avian influenza if it comes.

“We understand there are issues involving bio-security, there are issues involving depopulation, there are issues involving disposal, there are issues involving indemnification and the time for repopulation,” said Vilsack, “so these are all issues that we want to learn and try to be in better position.”

The secretary says federal officials also are working to be better prepared to handle issues of dead bird disposal.

AUDIO: Tom Vilsack (2 min. MP3)