The first case of avian flu in a commercial poultry operation in Georgia has been found in Elberton, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture and federal agriculture officials.
This has led to the suspension of all in-state poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and sales until further notice.
It was on Wednesday, according to officials, that a poultry producer in Elbert County noticed signs of avian flu in their flock. Samples were gathered the following morning and taken to the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network (GPLN) for testing, resulting in a positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
On Friday, USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory also confirmed a positive test result.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Management and State Agricultural Response Teams (SART) were deployed to the site to “conduct depopulation, cleaning and disinfecting, and disposal operations.”
This operation will continue through the weekend. The location has about 45,000 broiler breeders onsite.
“For the first time since the ongoing, nationwide outbreak began in 2022, HPAI has been confirmed in a commercial poultry operation in the state of Georgia,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “This is a serious threat to Georgia’s #1 industry and the livelihoods of thousands of Georgians who make their living in our state’s poultry industry. We are working around the clock to mitigate any further spread of the disease and ensure that normal poultry activities in Georgia can resume as quickly as possible.”