Avian flu quarantine lifted west of Susquehanna
BY JACK HURLEY
WRIGHTSVILLE - In a joint
USDA-PDA statement on Thur
sday, Assistant USDA Secretary of
Agriculture Karen Darling and Pa.
Agriculture Secretary Hallowell
announced an end to the avian flu
quarantine zone west of the
Susquehanna River.
Affecting a 1,650-square-mile
area in Cumberland, York and
Adams Counties, the quarantine
release went into affect yesterday
at 12:01a.m.
“Hopefully, before Christmas
we can announce that we have
cleaned the state of Pennsylvania
of the avian influenza virus,”
Hallowell said at a press con
ference held on the farm of
Wrightsville poultryman, Robert
Lehman, whose laying hens were
the first York County birds to
contract the disease.
Hallowell added that lifting of
the remaining quarantine zone
could come as early as Labor Day,
and Darling concurred, predicting
an end to the quarantine, “well
before winter”.
In response to questions con
cerning the fate of the state’s
Symbolizing the victory over avian influenza west of the Susquehanna River, State
Agriculture Secretary Hallowell and USDA Assistant Agriculture Secretary Karen
Darling tear up a quarantine sign during a meeting on Thursday on the farm of
Wrightsville poultryman Robert Lehman.
(GJJX) quality bins MADE IN U.S.A.
serologically positive birds, (birds
possessing the flu antibodies but no
active virus) Darling said that no
decision had been made and that a
proposal to depopulate these birds
was still under consideration. The
assistant secretary stated that
about $5.7 million would be
required to “put down” these
remaining birds.
The disease that began showing
up last April and took southeastern
Pennsylvania by storm beginning
in mid-October, has resulted in the
eradication of 13,055,061 birds in
Pa. ■ and an additional 1,301,896
birds in Virginia. Depopulation
efforts have cost the Federal
government over $41,000,000 and
$9,000,000 in the two states,
respectively.
A total of 191 flocks have been
repopulated in Pennsylvania, with
the state providing $2,000,000 to
assist farmers in the cleanup and
disinfecting phase.
Losses not covered by govern
ment indemnification programs
have been estimated to be well in
excess of $2O million to Pa. far
mers.
“Lifting of these restrictions
Siege may end by Labo
facilitates the movement of eggs
and live birds from York, Adams
and Cumberland Counties,”
Hallowell said. “Our joint action
with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture today should also help
boost the many businesses in the
area depending on the poultry and
egg industry...” the state
secretary said.
r Da
Avian Influenza
Portions of or Entire Counties Quarantined
in Pennsylvania
Original quarantine boundary
Present quarantine boundary
Fl Areas rel
O quar
Reaction from the poultry in
dustry, however, was not without
criticism.
“We’re glad that the quarantine
was lifted, but we’re very unhappy
about the way it was done,” said
Pennsylvania Poultry Federation
spokesman Tim Allwein.
“We backed the state’s original
proposal that hatching eggs from
hens without positive serology,
disease-free pullets and day-old
chicks, be allowed to move across
the river, with birds permitted to
move back again for processing.
But the USDA refused to lift the
quarantine under these con
ditions,” Allwein said.
DOYLESTOWN - Dr. Julian
Prundeanu, chairman of the
Agronomy Department at
Delaware Valley College, has been
selected to receive the prestigious
NACTA Eastern Outstanding
Teacher Award on June 19 at its
annual conference in Pullman,
Washington.
This award by NACTA, the
National Association of Colleges
and Teachers of Agriculture, is
awarded to the outstanding
teacher of the region as deter
mined by student and alumni
surveys, faculty and ad
ministrators’ recommendations
and verification of outstanding
teaching and advising success. A
teacher must exhibit dedication
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Prundeanu receives
national teaching award
“The effect is that the supply
lines of the poultry industry have
been cut in half, and this is going to
have a very harsh effect on
poultrymen. There’s going to be
empty houses over there, (west of
the Susquehanna) and that’s not
necessary,” Allwein concluded.
In comments at the conclusion of
the meeting, Lancaster County
Extension Director Jay Irwin said,
“We’re going to see much tighter
bio-security not only on poultry
farms, but with all livestock.”
Irwin cited the repopulation of
over 190 Pa. flocks as one of the
real victories in the fight against
the disease.
beyond the normal call of duty and
be student oriented.
Dr. Prundeanu will also receive
the NACTA Teaching Fellow
Award for his outstanding service
as a teacher having taught at
Delaware Valley College for the
past 28 years.
NACTA is a national
organization that has as its main
purpose the promotion of the
teaching of agriculture. Although
the annual conference has usually
been held at state land grant
universities, an unusually suc
cessful national conference was
held at Delaware Valley College in
June 1982. As an institution with a
teaching mission, Delaware Valley
College has been an active
member and supporter of NACTA
tor many years. Some of its faculty
have served in important positions
and on committees.