Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) Secretary Russell Redding joined Pennsylvania farmers, poultry producers, key agricultural industry leaders, and state legislators for a roundtable discussion on the response to a surge in Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) infections.
As the Commonwealth experiences a loss of more than 7.6 million birds since the start of this year, Governor Shapiro listened to the concerns of those closest to the HPAI surge, and last week, directed his Administration to mobilize additional personnel, expand testing capacity, and coordinate closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and industry partners.
Pennsylvania remains the only state in the nation with a dedicated HPAI Recovery Fund, designed to help poultry producers stabilize and recover from devastating losses. Since 2022, $75 million has been committed to the fund, with $59.4 million currently in reserve. To date, 302 poultry businesses have received $15.6 million in grants to offset losses, sustain operations, and strengthen biosecurity protections — 150 of those receiving farms have implemented enhanced disease-prevention improvements.
The roundtable was held at the PennAg Industries Rapid Response Center, which works closely with PDA to support the Commonwealth’s farmers and ag industry. Located in Lancaster, at the heart of Pennsylvania’s $7.1 billion poultry industry, the Center houses specialized equipment and technology to quickly contain and eliminate disease outbreaks when they occur.
Poultry is the largest sector of Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry — supporting nearly 48,800 farms and almost 600,000 jobs across the Commonwealth.
“This center and the skilled, ready, and dedicated response team have been indispensable to our ability to respond swiftly and effectively to avian influenza,” said Secretary Redding. “The investments Pennsylvania has made — not only to fight the financial toll the virus brings with it, but the human toll on our poultry producers. When the virus hits, they suffer a tremendous financial blow overnight, and they are working round the clock under tremendous strain. We are hopeful that every producer will take advantage of resources like HPAI Recovery Grants, and the Farmer Mental Health Hotline — both are available to help get us through to a better time, and back in business.”
Three Pennsylvania National Guard Civilian Support team members joined 55 Commonwealth veterinarians, other state employees, and four Penn State Extension experts already dedicated to the response, as well as temporarily reassigning administrative staff and expediting hiring to fill vacancies in support of the response. The expanded team also includes 42 USDA employees and industry leaders. In total, 105 staff are now assigned to mitigating the spread of HPAI.
PennAg Industries Association has also played a critical role in driving HPAI preparedness and response. In addition to managing the Rapid Response Center, PennAg serves as Pennsylvania’s Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence, one of four agricultural centers for excellence collectively supported by a $4.1 million investment in the state budget to provide professional and educational development and research support within specific sectors of the state’s agriculture industry.
“The Rapid Response Center, like all of the resources PennAg provides, is designed to give the targeted expertise, technology, and equipment our poultry and livestock producers need, when they need it, and where it will be the most effective,” said PennAg Industries Vice President Chris Herr. “Having established trust and year-round relationships with producers has put us in a position to respond quickly, train farm managers and staff, and work efficiently with government and industry leaders together.”
When an HPAI case is detected, state animal health teams deploy immediately, alongside partners at the USDA and local emergency management officials. Together, they work to quarantine affected sites, conduct testing, oversee virus elimination, and guide cleaning and disinfection protocols to prevent further spread.
The Commonwealth has also significantly expanded testing and surveillance capacity to meet ongoing demand for avian flu. From July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, Pennsylvania’s Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) processed 672,342 HPAI tests, including more than 200,000 poultry samples and 29,000 cattle samples, helping ensure swift diagnoses, protect commerce, and minimize economic disruption.
“We’re working to strengthen biosecurity and surveillance through initiatives like the Biosecurity Assurance Program, while expanding partnerships across the poultry industry and with our government and sister agencies,” said Dr. Alex Hamberg, State Veterinarian. “Many of the best solutions come from the people who are in the field every day — and the only way we get through this is by working together.”
