destruction and disposal orders HELP

[scflock]

Awesome, awesome story John. Thank you for taking us along for the ride. I'm a 250 pound redneck, and I don't cry much, but I got goosebumps watching the news story. So happy for you and your birds.

 

[chiques chicks]

Pennsylvania has banned all poultry shows, including at fairs, 4H, and the like, for 2015, and has cancelled the entire poultry division of the PA Farm Show for 2016. The outbreak is in the news here, especially (of course) the ag papers like Lancaster Farmer.

This is precautionary. In the early '80's there was a devastating AI epistemic in Pennsylvania. Lancaster county was hit very hard. Biosecurity has been in place here since then at all commercial operations..
I worked in the poultry industry at the time. It is not fun. If AI comes here and my flock tests " maybe ", I fully expect to lose it.

 

[chicapee]

That is wonderful news. It helps to keep us all vigilant. So very glad. The journalists helped save some lives. Congratulations.

 

[chickadoodles]

Congratulations John the best to you and your birds!

 

[centrarchid]

This whole thread is one of the reasons I have a closed flock with a smaller number of breeds. Diseases have to come here via the environment rather than a stock I import. Feed still a risk. When birds to be acquired from the outside they will be closely scrutinized before pickup as well as other birds at same location. Otherwise to reduce risk acquire birds from more thoroughly regulated larger hatcheries that are better situated to control disease spread. During times like now when AI a known problem, simply stop exchanging birds until outbreak passes to reduce likelihood of disease spread. These kill orders that get so many people upset are not intended solely to kill the virus in a given flock, the orders are more importantly intended to stop the spread to other flocks where many of those flocks are in the hands of parties making their livelihoods off those flocks and where those flocks are a significant part of our food chain.

 

[ChicKat]

Now that is a reporter doing her job right!!!

Big round of applause for Chelsea Rarrick!!!!

Very happy for you, John!

X2
John! Best of luck to you and your flock. Glad that you got the media involved and Chelsea Rarrick !!

 

[FridayYet]

Your video was great, the news clip was so heartwarming and I am so happy your birds are safe!

Wishing you all the best.

 

[hennible]

Great news clip John
Such beautiful birds.

 

[microchick]

I've had a jaded view of the news for many years now. CBS just softened my opinion. Three cheers for your local news station taking an interest in what was going on and bringing it to people's attention in an intelligent and compassionate matter.

I was particularly intrigued by the line that said that new information had come to light or something like that.

Maybe the new information was that the state ag dept had just been owned.

I can understand the agency taking precautionary steps to protect the area but to destroy a healthy flock of beautiful birds that has tested negative for this horrible disease is just plain over the top.

John, thank you for bringing this to the forums attention and allowing us to be involved. Who knows it could be any one of us some day who owns a small flock of chickens or other fowl and have gotten attached to them. I sincerely pray that it doesn't. Nobody should have to go through what you did.

For some reason I keep having quotes from Thomas Jefferson popping into my head when I read this thread:

"Does the government fear us? Or do we fear the government? When the people fear the government, tyranny has found victory. The federal government is our servant, not our master!"

Especially the last part of this quote applies to this whole situation. Jefferson was one of my favorite writers concerning what the relationship between government and citizens should be.

 

[allbirds4me]

John,

Curious, how often will they test your birds now and for how long is the quarantine , will they have to catch and test each of them ?
This has to be still a nerve wracking experience for you !