WASHINGTON — The USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics Services, is conducting a comprehensive national study of the small enterprise poultry industry in the country, the USDA announced.
The study will provide an in-depth observation of these small operations, giving the industry new and valuable insights into management and biosecurity practices. NAHMS worked with poultry veterinarians, university researchers, and Extension agents to define the most critical information needs and knowledge gaps related to small poultry production, the USDA stated.
The study is aiming to:
- Establish baselines for animal health and management practices on U.S. poultry operations with 1,000 to 74,999 table egg layer inventory, 1,000 to 99,999 broilers sold or moved annually, and 1,000 to 29,999 meat turkeys sold or moved annually.
- Describe producer preparedness for animal health emergencies, including highly pathogenic avian influenza.
- Describe management and biosecurity practices of small enterprise operations with a focus on operations in areas of high poultry density, and given the outcome of the sampling, operations in closer proximity to larger commercial operations.
The results of the study will help inform producers, policymakers, and animal health professionals, improving animal health strategies, and more resilient poultry systems.
The study consists of a survey that was sent to about 500 small enterprise poultry operations nationwide, the USDA added. The selected operations were sent a letter explaining the study back in September. The survey can be completed by paper, web, or telephone.
The selected participants included U.S. poultry operations with 300 to 74,999 table egg layer inventory; 300 to 199,999 broilers sold or moved annually; or 300 to 59,999 meat turkeys sold or moved annually, the USDA noted. Participation in the study was voluntary.
“Small enterprise poultry operations play a critical role in local food systems and rural economies. Your participation in this study is essential to help us better understand your unique challenges,” Victoria Fields, NAHMS poultry study lead, said. “The information you provide is not only vital to the success of this study—it is also strictly confidential. No data will be reported in any way that could identify individual participants. This is your chance to be heard, and we hope you participate.”
Participants and the poultry industry will benefit from:
- Benchmark data on important small enterprise poultry health management and biosecurity practices.
- Improved understanding of disease preparedness on small enterprise poultry operations.
- Collection of data that policymakers and industry stakeholders can use to respond to the needs of small enterprise poultry producers.
- Identification of educational needs and opportunities related to poultry health management and biosecurity practices.
- Collection of information that researchers can use in grant applications to support research for important disease or management concerns.
This is the sixth study that NAHMS has conducted on health and management on U.S. poultry operations. The study will be ongoing through the rest of November.
