Commercial Poultry

Page 1: Avian Influenza Alert: How to Reduce Wild Bird Risks on Poultry Farms Page 3: Online Labor Course Available for Agricultural Employers to Better Understand Adding Benefits and Legal Requirements Page 4: Poultry Industry Survey Reveals Key Trends and Challenges Page 5: Beneficial Ownership Interest Report to be Limited to Foreign Reporting Companies Page 6: Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV): Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Page 7: Bird Flu Battle Stations - UD Cooperative Extension Page 9: Coming Poultry Events

A recent survey conducted by the University of Maryland Poultry Extension has provided valuable insights into the current state of the poultry industry, focusing on both commercial broiler growers and backyard poultry keepers.

March 18, 2025 In late fall, approximately 237,000 wild birds, representing 32 waterfowl species, fly south along the Atlantic Flyway from their Arctic home and settle along the Delmarva Peninsula.

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), a highly contagious respiratory disease, is a growing concern on Delmarva, particularly affecting turkeys and chickens, and can lead to secondary bacterial infections, increased mortality, and decreased egg production. 

Those keeping track of Beneficial Ownership Interest (BOI) reporting may have noticed a back and forth between federal courts in enjoining the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a stay in its early decision, allowing reporting to continue on February 18, 2025. This decision is in the Smith v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, No. 6:24-CV-336-JDK, 2025 WL 41924 (E.D. Tex. Jan. 7, 2025). On February 19, 2025, FinCEN issued guidance that most reporting will be due by March 21, 2025.

The University of Maryland and the University of Delaware have released an online course for agricultural operations in Delaware and Maryland. The Hiring and Retaining Farm Employees – What you Need to Know and Do course is now available through the University of Maryland’s Enterprise Learning Management System – Canvas.

As migratory birds traverse North America twice a year traveling south in late summer through fall and returning north in late winter through spring, they pose a significant risk of introducing and spreading avian influenza (bird flu).