The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued new guidance on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) surveillance for poultry, effective August 26, 2025. The changes focus on strengthening pre-slaughter protocols to reduce the risk of moving infected birds, particularly from states affected by HPAI but located outside designated control zones.
One of the main updates introduces a 72-hour isolation period before birds are transported to slaughter. During this time, no animals are to be moved on or off the farm, and access should be restricted to essential personnel only. The aim is to reduce the chances of disease spread just before shipment.
Testing protocols have also been revised. Flocks within active control areas are already subject to PCR testing within 48 hours before slaughter. For operations outside those areas, testing has historically relied on serology conducted up to 21 days prior to shipment, leaving a risk that infected but asymptomatic birds could be missed. Under the updated policy, APHIS recommends PCR testing closer to shipment time, particularly in cases of unexplained illness or higher-than-normal mortality rates.
For premises with multi-day loadouts, samples should be collected daily from barns holding birds that have not yet been moved. Negative PCR results must be received before additional shipments can take place. If testing produces non-negative results, response measures such as quarantine or depopulation will be initiated.
The guidance also clarifies indemnity procedures. APHIS will provide compensation for live birds depopulated following a confirmed HPAI detection. However, birds that die prior to confirmation, or that are processed at slaughter and later found to have been infected, do not qualify for reimbursement.
The agency emphasized that tighter testing timelines are designed to identify infections earlier, helping safeguard the food supply, neighboring farms, and the broader poultry sector from the spread of bird flu.
