The National Farmers Union has put together some information on what local avian influenza restrictions mean for your business, including what activities are prohibited and information on licensing.
When Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is confirmed in poultry, the government will impose a 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone around the infected premises (IP). If Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza is confirmed in poultry, a smaller 1km Restricted Zone will be declared around the infected premises.
Temporary Control Zones are declared when Avian Influenza has been confirmed but further tests are ongoing to determine the pathogenicity of the strain. Any general licences that have been issued will not be applicable in Temporary Control Zones and individual movement licences will need to be applied for.
If any part of your holding falls within a zone under restriction then you must follow all restrictions applied to that zone across the whole site. If parts of a single holding are in two separate zones, then the whole of the site is considered to be in the zone with the highest level of restriction.
Within a HPAI 3km Protection Zone you must:
- Keep poultry and other captive birds housed inside their buildings. If this is impractical or significantly detrimental to welfare, then a veterinary inspector may direct you to isolate birds without housing them;
- Ensure that all carcasses that are not seized or disposed of by a veterinary inspector are disposed of in accordance with their instructions;
- Adhere to strict biosecurity on and off the farm and follow any additional measures as directed by a veterinary inspector; and
- Also follow the controls listed for the 10km surveillance zone below.
Within a HPAI 10km Surveillance Zone you must:
- Not move poultry, other captive birds or mammals (including pigs, sheep and cattle) to or from premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept (exceptions apply for pet animals) unless under licence;
- Not move poultry meat, litter, eggs, other livestock or animals within or outside of the zone unless under licence. Table eggs may be sent direct to wholesale or retail premises without a licence;
- Pack any eggs going to a designated packing centre in disposable packaging;
- Record any individuals visiting the premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept. Exceptions include zoos or wildlife parks (providing the public has no access to areas where birds are kept) and on public rights of way. An example visitor logbook can be downloaded from the Red Tractor website;
- Keep a record of all poultry or poultry eggs entering or leaving premises within the zone, except where eggs are being moved direct to retail premises or onwards from such premises;
- Ensure appropriate biosecurity measures are in place for people and vehicles entering or leaving premises where poultry, other captive birds or eggs are kept – disinfectants must be from the approved list;
- Ensure anyone who moves any poultry, other captive bird, meat, feed, manure, slurry, litter or any other thing which may be contaminated cleanses and disinfects the vehicle and any equipment used to transport that thing as soon as it is unloaded;
- Not remove or spread poultry litter, manure or slurry unless under licence;
- Not permit any poultry or captive birds to be exhibited at any fair, market, show, or gathering;
- Not release game birds;
- Anyone involved in the transport or marketing of poultry or poultry eggs must also make a record of those that are transported or marketed; and
- Poultry and eggs may be transported through disease control zones on a major highway or railway if no stop is made within the zone.
Licensing
If your premises are in a Protection or Surveillance Zone a movement licence will be required for certain activities. Movement licences can be obtained from the APHA by calling 03000 200 301 (choose option 2).
General licences allow a movement or activity that would otherwise be prohibited in England and Wales. You need to check that you meet and comply with the conditions of the general licence. If you do so, you do not need to apply – you can rely on the general licence as providing authority for the movement or activity.
General licences have been issued for the following activities (please note these are not valid for movements in or out of a Temporary Control Zone; individual movement licences will be required):
- Movement of poultry meat from poultry originating in a Protection Zone or an area that subsequently becomes a Protection Zone.
- Removal of the meat mark applied to certain poultry meat for the purposes of processing or repacking.
Unless covered by a general licence, poultry keepers will need to apply to the APHA for individual movement licences. Please ensure you give the APHA as much notice as possible as it can take time to issue licences. The APHA is likely to receive high volumes of licence requests so contingency plans should be arranged in case there is any delay in licensing.
The following movements of poultry or poultry products will need to be licensed by a veterinary inspector:
- Poultry from premises in the zone for immediate slaughter at a designated slaughterhouse;
- Poultry meat;
- Poultry to a designated slaughterhouse in the zone from premises outside the zone;
- Day-old chicks hatched from eggs produced in the zone or from eggs which came into contact with such eggs;
- Day-old chicks hatched from eggs originating outside the protection zone;
- Ready-to-lay poultry to premises or part of premises where no poultry are kept;
- Hatching eggs from the zone to a designated hatchery or premises;
- Hatching eggs from outside the zone to a designated hatchery or premises within the zone (the hatchery must be operated in such a way that eggs from outside the zone do not come into contact with eggs or day-old chicks from within the zone);
- Eggs to a designated egg packing centre (they must be packed in disposable packaging);
- Eggs to an egg processing plant;
- Eggs for disposal;
- Carcasses for disposal or diagnosis.
The NFU said its members should check with their processor or egg packer whether they are designated to receive live birds, meat, or eggs from farms within a Protection or Surveillance Zone, and have their designation details to hand when applying for movement licences.
Unless your holding is under individual site-specific restrictions, feed can be brought onto the premises without a licence, as long as the requirements for cleansing and disinfection within your Zone are met.
If you have any licensing queries, or aren’t sure whether or not you need a licence, contact the APHA with your query by telephone on 03000 200 301 (choose option 2).