Board of Animal Health launches avian health division
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The Indiana State Board of Animal Health announced Thursday it is launching a new division to help combat the threat of avian flu upon the state’s poultry industry.
The Avian Health Division will begin April 1, led by Maria Cooper, a senior planning director who has overseen field veterinarians and led disease containment for the state agency.
“Formation of the Avian Health Division reflects the significance of poultry production to the state of Indiana,” Indiana State Veterinarian Dr. Bret Marsh said a news release. “The agency has had a long history of working with the sector through multiple highly pathogenic avian influenza events. This new division reflects BOAH’s commitment to safeguarding the health of commercial poultry from high-consequence diseases.”
With more than $1 billion in sales, poultry and eggs constitute the fourth largest agricultural commodity in Indiana, the news release said. Indiana ranks No. 1 in the nation in duck production and No. 3 in total egg production and pounds of turkey raised.
The new division will coordinate health programs with all of Indiana’s poultry sectors.
“I have had the opportunity to wear many hats here at BOAH, working across all divisions and all species of animals to support our missions of emergency preparedness, animal health, animal care, and food safety. These duties have provided a strong foundation for this new role,” Cooper said in the release. “Over the past 10 years, I have enjoyed working with Indiana’s top-ranking poultry sectors and seeing firsthand the energy, growth, and innovation happening among poultry and egg producing companies. I am excited for this opportunity to focus my efforts fully on poultry health programs, issues, and initiatives.”
Avian flu outbreaks can prove costly economically and raise prices for eggs, turkey and other poultry products.
The FAIRR Initiative, an investor network that researches the global food sector, said in a 2023 report that the avian flu outbreak in the U.S. resulted in about 40 million animal losses and $2.5 billion to $3 billion in economic losses. A total of 16 avian flu cases were reported in Indiana in 2022.
Earlier this year in Indiana, the Indiana Board of Animal Health confirmed a case at a commercial turkey farm in Daviess County, Inside INdiana Business reported. The farm, which had a flock of more than 13,000 birds, was depopulated as a result.