Governor Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding met with poultry producers, farmers, agriculture leaders, and state legislators to discuss the impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and highlight the state’s response efforts.
Pennsylvania is currently the only state with a dedicated HPAI Recovery Fund. Since 2022, $75 million has been committed to this fund, with $59.4 million in reserve. To date, 302 poultry businesses have received $15.6 million in grants for loss recovery and biosecurity improvements; 150 farms have implemented enhanced disease-prevention measures.
When an HPAI case is detected, animal health teams from the state work alongside USDA partners and local emergency officials to quarantine sites, conduct testing, oversee virus elimination, and guide cleaning protocols. The team now includes three Pennsylvania National Guard Civilian Support members who joined 55 veterinarians and other employees from the Commonwealth as well as four Penn State Extension experts. In total, 105 staff are assigned to mitigate HPAI spread.
The Governor’s proposed budget for 2026–27 seeks $11 million for Agricultural Preparedness and Response initiatives. This includes $2 million for operations at a new diagnostic lab at Penn State Beaver and full funding for related commissions and laboratory systems at partner institutions such as University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School and Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences.
Poultry producers are urged by the Department of Agriculture to reinforce preventative measures including limiting farm access, requiring protective clothing for visitors, disinfecting vehicles and equipment, preventing contact between domestic flocks and wild birds, monitoring flock health closely, and reporting any unexplained illness or death immediately. Producers can report sick birds or unexplained deaths to 717-772-2852; sick or dead wild birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD.
Pennsylvania agriculture contributes $132.5 billion annually to the state economy and sustains over 593,000 jobs, according to the official website. The sector involves more than 49,000 farm families managing over 7.3 million acres with annual cash receipts of $7.8 billion as reported by the official website. The Department of Agriculture supports community prosperity by conserving farmland and natural resources according to its official website, aims to foster a robust economy while protecting public health through investments in agricultural growth according to its official website, extends operations across the commonwealth according to its official website, and offers inspection services for consumer protection while promoting state agricultural products according to its official website.
HPAI presents very low risk to the general public when poultry products are properly handled and cooked. Producers affected by infections or operational pauses due to nearby detections are encouraged to apply for HPAI Recovery Grants. More information on prevention resources is available according to the official roster page.
