WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently finalized amendments to the regulations governing the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP).
Industry delegates voted on these changes and approved them during the NPIP’S 2022 National Plan Conference. The changes aim to strengthen biosecurity, clarify requirements, and align the Plan with current industry practices, APHIS said in a statement.
Essential updates include:
- Conditioning indemnity for low pathogenicity avian influenza on adherence to approved biosecurity plans.
- Clarifying and updating provisions related to NPIP participation, testing procedures, and voting requirements.
- Aligning regulatory language with modern poultry production and disease-control practices.
- Correcting editorial errors to improve regulatory clarity.
The NPIP is a cooperative, multi-departmental program that helps prevent and control poultry diseases, ensuring flocks, hatcheries, dealers and slaughter plants meet rigorous health and disease-prevention standards. Participation is voluntary, but all flocks must qualify as “U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean” to access additional program benefits, APHIS added.
These amendments guarantee that NPIP continues to serve as a trusted, science-based program that protects U.S. poultry health, strengthens disease prevention, and supports the long-term stability of the poultry industry.
The final rule will be effective starting Oct. 30, 2025, and can be viewed in the Federal Register.
