Guest guest Posted January 7, 2003 Report Share Posted January 7, 2003 > http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/story/5780949p-6750618c.html > <http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/story/5780949p-6750618c.html> > -------------------------------- > Poultry disease impact widens > Canada joins Mexico in banning imports of fowl products from California. > By Melanie Payne -- Bee Staff Writer - (Published January 3, 2003) > Poultry producers throughout California are paying a penalty for an outbreak > of exotic Newcastle disease that has left five Southern California counties > quarantined. > On Thursday, Canada joined Mexico in banning the import of poultry products > from the Golden State. Two percent of the poultry produced in California is > exported, and 50 percent of that goes to Mexico. > Ironically, regulators have not seen signs of the fatal virus in chickens > headed for market. Instead, the disease has been identified among some > egg-laying hens. > The impact of exotic Newcastle could be even more serious if it spreads > among the egg-laying flocks, because California is the nation's > third-largest egg producer. > Since the fatal virus was first discovered four months ago in backyard > poultry flocks in Compton, agriculture officials have ordered more than 1.2 > million chickens destroyed and quarantined poultry in Riverside, San > Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties. > While exports represent a tiny fraction of California's $3 billion poultry > business, producers of squabs and other fowl pleasing to foreign palates > depend heavily on sales abroad, said Bill Mattos, president of the > Modesto-based California Poultry Federation. > The Squab Producers of California, also based in Modesto, had scheduled a > $50,000 shipment to Canada that may be lost if the ban isn't lifted. For > multimillion-dollar poultry producers, this wouldn't be a problem, but for > squab producers, " every part of export helps them, " Mattos said. > The U.S. Department of Agriculture compensates poultry producers when birds > have to be destroyed, said Larry Hawkins, an agency spokesman. Appraisers > are working now with producers to determine the fair market value of the > stock and compensate them for the costs of cleaning and disinfecting their > operations. > Producers aren't compensated for the one-to two-month lag time before > operations can resume after disinfection, Mattos said, but commercial > producers do receive reimbursement ranging from 25 cents to $5 a bird, > depending on its breed, egg-laying ability and age. > The California Department of Food and Agriculture launched a door-to-door > search in urban areas where the first exotic Newcastle infections were found > and mounted a large-scale educational campaign, said Leticia Rico, a > department spokeswoman. > Afterward, regulators quarantined backyard flocks at more than 4,000 > premises. Of those, 1,100 premises contained infected birds that had to be > euthanized. > Now that the disease has spread to commercial operations, " we have two > audiences here, " Rico said. The department has established a 24-hour > toll-free hotline. Recorded information is available in English, Spanish and > Vietnamese. > Producers are setting up strict " biosecurity " measures to cut off the spread > of the virus, Rico said, sanitizing trucks that come onto the property, > restricting visitors and making sure that anyone who comes in contact with > the birds makes extra sanitation efforts, such as wearing clean clothes, > disinfecting their shoes and washing their hands. > The highly contagious virus can remain active for days as it travels in > feces, feathers or mucus, Rico said. > This isn't the first time exotic Newcastle has hit flocks in the state. > During the last outbreak, in the early 1970s, federal and state agriculture > departments spent nearly $56 million to eradicate the disease and destroy 12 > million chickens. > Infected birds exhibit a number of symptoms, including sneezing; nasal > discharge; diarrhea; depression; muscular tremors; complete paralysis; > partial to complete drop in egg production; production of thin-shelled eggs; > and sudden death. > The disease could be particularly damaging for California producers whose > flocks of egg-laying hens number 24 million. > So far, exotic Newcastle has not affected the price of poultry or eggs, > producers said Thursday. While the export of poultry products has been > banned, cleansing processes have allowed egg sales to continue. > Most of California's poultry is in the Central Valley, outside the > quarantined area. > > About the Writer > --------------------------- > > The Bee's Melanie Payne can be reached at (916)321-1962 or mpayne > <mpayne . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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