Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Poultry distributors
including all premises, conveyances, crates and birds will be inspected for
compliance with this chapter and tested at least quarterly for evidence of avian
influenza virus. Any registered poultry distributor located outside the State shall
be subject to quarterly inspection and testing by authorized agents of USDA-APHIS-VS
or agents of the state in which the registrant premises is located on behalf of the
NJDA.
(b) Poultry distributor facilities
that test positive for avian influenza virus shall be quarantined according to
N.J.A.C. 2:5-4 and shall remain under quarantine until an authorized agent of the
NJDA is satisfied that the risk of disease exposure no longer exists. Premises under
quarantine must comply with the following:
1. All
premises shall be quarantined according to N.J.A.C. 2:5-4 and will be required to
depopulate all poultry, including pigeons and doves, and undergo cleaning and
disinfection. The premises shall be retested and approved by an authorized agent of
the NJDA before it will be released from quarantine. A negative environmental test
result is required before restocking;
2.
All other livestock must be removed from any area where the poultry were housed or
stored while the entire poultry area is cleaned, disinfected and allowed to dry.
Livestock must be placed into temporary holding pens on the premises in accordance
with N.J.A.C. 2:8, Humane Treatment of Domestic Livestock, or moved directly into a
USDA recognized slaughter establishment pursuant to conditions established by
NJDA;
3. Once emptied of birds and
livestock, all areas where poultry were housed or stored must be cleaned of all
organic material, then disinfectant shall be applied. An authorized agent of the
NJDA will determine if the cleaning and disinfection is satisfactory; and
4. The premises must remain empty of poultry and
livestock for a minimum of 24 hours after disinfectant is applied. Any disinfectant
and/or cleaning solution applied to the premises must be allowed to thoroughly dry
before restocking with poultry or livestock. The poultry distributor premises must
be inspected, tested and approved by an authorized agent of the NJDA before it will
be allowed to restock.
5. At the
discretion of the State Veterinarian, under special circumstances poultry
distributors may be exempted from depopulation if they are determined to be low risk
for disease transmission. In such cases, the State Veterinarian will approve and
implement a special quarantine release protocol. Under this protocol, the poultry
distributor premises will be quarantined until tested negative and the quarantine is
lifted by the State of New Jersey.
(c) A poultry distributor that fails biosecurity
inspections and/or tests positive during the quarterly testing shall undergo monthly
inspections and testing until there have been three consecutive months of negative
testing, at which time quarterly testing will resume.
(d) Poultry distributors located in other states
that test positive for Avian Influenza may be embargoed by the NJDA according to
2:5-2.1(a) and
(b).
