Michigan readies emergency order to manage bird flu outbreak hurting poultry farmers

(FOX 2) - Starting Wednesday on May 8, a state emergency order will go into effect in Michigan in an effort to limit the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

While it's not impacting people yet, HPAI's toll on the state's economy as well as its operations for supplying eggs and meat has taken a hit. Left unchecked, the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development warns issues could only intensify.

"Michigan's been in the unique position of dealing with a pretty significant HPAI outbreak both in a number of fair herds here in the state, but a number of poultry operations as well - some commercial egg laying facilities, some turkey farms," said Director Tim Boring.

Normally, mid-spring issues that farmers manage are normally related to the weather and too much rain - or cold nights freezing crops. But this year, it's the bird flu. 

"Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been around the country for a couple of years now, but what makes this latest outbreak really significant is the fact it is now very prevalent in dairy cattle across the country," Boring said.

In Michigan, farmers are struggling as their operations are limited and animals suffer after getting infected with the latest strain of HPAI.

To quell the spread, state officials will execute an emergency order that will deploy biosecurity measures while tracking people on site of vulnerable farms.

"We continue to know that this virus is spread through people and vehicle movement, so we’ve called on poultry and dairy facilities across the state to be implementing some essential bio-security practices for the cleaning and disinfecting, tracking who is on facilities, identification of a biosecurity manager," said Boring.

It will also impact what fair season looks like this summer in Michigan, Boring said.

"We’re looking to halt poultry exhibitions until we have had a negative test in the state for 30 days. And we’re placing restrictions on bringing lactating dairy cattle to the fair," he added.

Notably, the director said, its not a public health problem - yet. 

"Pasteurization remains an effective treatment to limit the virus spread into milk. Humans are not getting sick from this virus, outside of one farmworker in Texas.," said Boring.

Additional state efforts will work to pin down just what kind of impact the outbreak will have on Michigan farmers.