Australian broiler production outlook positive to decade's end

Australian consumers are increasingly favoring higher-value chicken products, such has fresh whole birds and ready-to-eat cuts. Australia’s chicken meat producers have a pretty positive outlook, with consumption of chicken meat and its production forecast to rise to the end of the decade.
According to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), chicken -- already the most popular meat in the country -- is expected to not only be consumed more over the coming years but to be increasing chosen over other meats. By 2019-20 Australia’s chicken meat consumption is expected to stand at 1.32 million tons.
This is particularly positive news for the country’s poultry meat producers. Chicken meat cannot be freely imported into the country, meaning that greater consumption must go hand in hand with greater production and, as approximately 96 percent of Australian output is consumed locally, the industry is particularly sensitive to local demand fluctuations.
What little export business does exist comprises primarily frozen cuts and offal, with the main export markets being Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Alongside growth in home consumption, demand for Australian chicken meat from overseas is also forecast to grow – from 40.5 tons this year to 47.4 tons in 2019-20.

High per-capita chicken consumption

In 2013-14, Australian consumers ate 1.08 million tons of chicken meat, making them the third highest per capita chicken meat consumers – behind Malaysia and Jamaica – in the world. This year, per capita chicken meat consumption is expected to increase by 2 percent to stand at 45.4 kg and by 2019-20, per capita consumption is forecast to reach 49.2 kg.

Australian consumers are increasingly favoring higher-value chicken products, such has fresh whole birds and ready-to-eat cuts. 

Chicken meat is competitively priced compared with other meats in the country, and ABARES notes that, over the past two decades, the price of other meats has risen very strongly relative to chicken meat.
Over the five years to 2014-15, chicken meat was on average 50 percent cheaper than pork, 59 percent cheaper than lamb, and 65 percent cheaper than beef. Over the medium term, ABARES says, chicken meat is projected to remain much cheaper than these competing meats.
It notes that the low cost of chicken has been driven by production efficiencies and that, not only will production costs remain comparatively low, but these low costs will also be reflected at retail level.

Higher-value chicken demand

Australia’s consumers are increasingly choosing fresh over frozen chickens.
While demand for whole birds continues to remain strong, according to industry association the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF), in addition to moving from frozen to fresh whole birds, consumers are also increasingly choosing higher-value ready-to-cook chicken pieces.
Fresh chicken pieces and whole birds now account for 64 percent of all chicken sales, with fresh chicken pieces now accounting for more than 50 percent of those sales.
Frozen raw chicken accounts for 7 percent of sales, while processed chicken accounts for the remaining 29 percent of sales.

Chicken production outlook

Chicken meat production grew by an average of almost 5 percent over the 10 years to 2013-14, and the sector now accounts for almost one-quarter of all meat production in the country, up from one-fifth in the previous decade.
Along with consumption, production is forecast to carry on growing. Growth in output this year is expected to be in the region of 4 percent and is expected to reach 1.125 million tons. For 2015-16, this rate is expected to slow to 3 percent.
By 2019-20, however, Australia’s total chicken meat production is forecast to rise to 1.32 million tons, accounting for 28 percent of all meat produced in the country.
In contrast to beef and sheep meat production, Australia’s chicken meat industry is highly concentrated and vertically integrated.
Around 70 percent of chicken meat is supplied by two privately owned processing companies. The next five privately owned medium-size processors supply between 3 percent and 9 percent of the market, with a larger number of smaller processors accounting for the remainder.

Production and consumption of chicken meat in Australia are predicted to rise to the end of the decade, and chicken meat grows its margin of popularity in comparison with other meats.

Australia’s Victorian government funds poultry program

The State of Victoria in Australia is investing AU$80,000 (US$59,000) in the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) Chicken Care Program. The program has a track record in assisting growers improve environmental and amenity outcomes on farms, and respond to concerns over new and existing developments.
Minister Jaala Pulford said: “We are aware of the challenges facing the chicken meat industry, and of the significant economic contribution it makes to growing rural and regional jobs … and “That’s why we’re providing $80,000 to support the VFF’s Chicken Care Program to assist our growers.”
The funding comes off the back of lobbying efforts from the Victorian Farmers Federation to ensure the chicken meat industry growth strategy is achieved.
The Victorian Chicken Meat Farmers Federation and Victorian Chicken Meat Council (VCMC) have been calling on the state government to work with the industry to regain lost market share, creating regional economic growth and jobs.
“Australians now eat more chicken meat than their combined consumption of beef and lamb. In fact annual growth of this AU$5.6 billion chicken meat sector is trending at 5 percent,” VFF Chicken Meat president Allan Bullen said.
“Yet Victoria’s share of this booming meat industry has slumped from 28 per cent to 23 percent in the past eight years. Compare that to South Australia, whose chicken meat industry has grown from 8 to 13 percent of the national market over the same period.
The successful Chicken Care Program was developed 15 years ago in response to community concerns over environmental impact and has since trained 126 growers in best practice environmental management.
“This funding is welcome and will go a long way to giving growers the support and confidence to invest in both the sustainability and growth of their farm businesses,” Bullen said.

South Australian poultry cooperative may form

A study is being conducted that looks into the feasibility of starting a poultry cooperative in South Australia. If a cooperative were to form, it would bring a former Inghams turkey processing plant back into production and give poultry farmers a chance to better regain their livelihoods after the plant’s closure.
According to a report from ABC.net, the Fleurieu Poultry Association (FPA) and the South Australian government have signed an agreement for the study that would involve the property where the shuttered plant south of Adelaide sits.
If such a poultry cooperative would form, it would offer an economic boost for the 79 people that lost their jobs at the plant, as well as poultry producers who were left without a contract after its closure. It would also help area businesses as people would also shop and eat while doing business with the potential cooperative.
The two-part feasibility study is in its very early stages, FPA project officer Rick Duke said. FPA wants to estimate the exact numbers of birds on the Fleurieu Peninsula, as well as if there are any area poultry producers the group did not know about. If sufficient numbers are found, the second part of the study, which would include drafting a business plan, would be more comprehensive.
A core group of about 10 people is working on the feasibility study.

Proposed Australia broiler farm traffic worries addressed

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  A proposed broiler farm in Australia will not cause major problems with increased truck traffic, an industry leader says.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Worries that a proposed broiler farm will cause problems with increased truck traffic in nearby neighborhoods are unwarranted, says the president of the Australian Chicken Growers Association (ACGA).
  At issue is a proposed broiler operation in the Wellington Shire Council, which borders Latrobe City. If fully realized, the farm would house 800,000 chickens and would produce more than 4 million chickens annually.
  While the proposed farm is about four times larger than the average poultry operation, ACGA President Mike Shaw said that the proposed operation would not generate any more traffic than the average dairy operation, and the broiler farm is planned to be built in an area that is a “known dairy production area.”
  Shaw also pointed to the economic benefits of the farm, because in addition to the jobs created at the farm itself, the increased poultry production in Australia as a result of the farm would add to jobs at processing plants, feed mills and other operations within the Australian poultry industry.
  ACGC was formed in the early 1980s and represents contract broiler meat growers and turkey producers on a range of industry issues at a national level, according to the organization’s website. ACGC is a participant of the Advisory Committee of the Chicken Meat Program of the Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, which represents all industry stakeholders at the national level.

Australian egg operation powered by poultry manure

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  Darling Downs Fresh Eggs of Australia is the country's first egg company to be fully powered with energy from poultry manure.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Australian egg producer Darling Downs Fresh Eggs has become the first egg company in the country to create power from 100 percent poultry manure.
  Geoff Sondergeld, CEO of Darling Downs, said rising energy costs and the need to do something with the manure from 250,000 influenced the company’s decision to find a way to turn manure into energy.
  "Our electricity costs were rising on an annualized basis somewhere around 30 percent," he said. "We have our own rearing sheds and feed mill and highly technical laying operations. And we spend a lot of electricity cooling the birds, especially in summertime."
  In the process, the farm has "almost" become carbon neutral, Sondergeld said.
  The conversion process
  Liquid and solid waste is put into a "digestion" process which produces methane gas. Once methane is produced, a biogas generator converts the gas to electricity which powers the farm. Chicken manure does not contain the natural bacteria needed to make methane, so it is added.
  The facility on the farm has had to be registered as a separate power plant.
  "There are a lot of approvals to obtain but it will be worth it in the fullness of time," Sondergeld said.
  Economic and other benefits
  While the process of converting the poultry manure into a source of energy has been costly at first, Sondergeld expects the initiative to pay for itself over the course of five years.
  "We are essentially turning a cost part of the business into a revenue generating part of the business," he said.
  But Sondergeld said it is not all about economics. He said the energy project has also helped Darling Downs become a more environmentally sustainable business.

Australian Chicken Growers' Council joins farmers’ federation

The Australian Chicken Growers' Council (ACGC) has joined Australia’s National Farmers’ Federation as an associate member, the organizations announced on November 7.
NFF President Brent Finlay says ACGC’s addition to the NFF family further enhances it strength as the united voice for farmers and, more broadly, agriculture across Australia.
“The NFF exists to provide the united voice for farmers in national agricultural policy development, and to represent farmer’s interests to government and the wider community. Today, we are pleased to broaden our commodity base to also include Australian chicken meat growers,” Finlay said. “ACGC joins 30 NFF members at the decision-making table, ensuring the needs of Australian chicken growers are represented at the national level. We are delighted to welcome ACGC into the NFF family.”
The ACGC represents contract chicken meat growers on a number of key industry issues at the national level. These include research and development, food safety, animal health, animal welfare, environmental management and sustainability.
The Australian chicken meat industry is a vitally important agricultural industry. A report released in 2014 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that chicken is set to become the world’s most consumed meat by 2020.

Australian Chicken Meat Federation hosts farm tour

Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) on October 29 hosted a tour of a chicken farm in Peats Ridge, New South Wales, as part of the ongoing education drive aimed at better informing the public about how broilers are farmed.
Dr. Andreas Dubs, executive director of ACMF said: “Our tours, arranged two to three times a year, are designed to give attendees such as journalists, nutritionists, bloggers, and teachers, a first-hand experience of the processes involved in getting chicken from the farm to the plate and to speak with a range of experts from the industry. We also aim to address a lot of commonly held misconceptions on the day.”
Those on the half-day tour experienced first-hand what it is like inside a chicken shed, heard from the farmer about his role in raising and caring for his chickens and learned more about issues of importance to the industry such as animal welfare, food safety and environmental impacts.
“Biosecurity is extremely important,” said Dubs. “The health and well-being of the birds at the farm depends on it. All attendees are required to wear protective clothing, disinfect shoes in a footbath and wash hands before entering the sheds on the farm. Logistics of hosting such a tour takes careful planning, to ensure all biosecurity requirements are adhered to, but we believe the tour is an important step in educating the public more broadly about industry farming practices.”
“The industry continues to proactively tell its story, and set the facts straight. The opportunity to host these tours and be transparent about what happens on the farm is invaluable,” concluded Dubs.

NFF: Korea-Australia trade agreement must be swiftly implemented

Australia’s National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) recommendation that Australia ratify the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) – an agreement that could deliver millions of dollars in additional export value to the Australian economy. NFF is urging the Australian government to quickly implement the agreement.
NFF President Brent Finlay said the deal recognizes agriculture as one of the nation’s export strongholds and must be ratified as soon as possible to open up markets for Australian farmers, including those in the pork, beef, grains, dairy, sugar and horticulture industries. A key benefit of the KAFTA for Australian farmers will be that tariffs on key pork exports of 22.5 to 25 percent will be eliminated in five to 15 years.
“The NFF is involved in all of Australia’s trade negotiations regarding agriculture, so we understand how complex and challenging it is to secure an agreement in the first place. Any suggestions that it be delayed are clearly not in the interests of Australian farmers,” said Finlay.
“After four years of intense negotiations, we were pleased that the Korean and Australian governments reached an agreement in December 2013. This was a major step forward in securing Australia’s trade within the Asian region. The challenge now is moving from words to action. With the European Union and the United States hot on our heels, ratification of the agreement will ensure Australian agriculture cements its competitive advantage in Asian markets. Ratifying the agreement before the end of the year will mean that Australian agriculture -- particularly the dairy and red meat sectors -- can take advantage of the tariff reduction timeline as of January 1, 2015.

Australian ag sector concerned with Russian ban on food imports

Australia's National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has expressed its concern over Russia’s decision to impose a ban on food imports from Australia, a market that contributes roughly $400 million to Australia’s economy each year. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the year-long ban, introduced August 6, would affect imports on poultry, pork, beef, fruit, vegetables, fish and dairy products from the E.U., U.S., Australia, Canada and Norway.
NFF President Brent Finlay said the farm sector was concerned about disruptions to export markets due to the fact Australia exports over 60 percent of its agricultural produce, and is inherently export orientated.
“We expect some Australian farmers to directly feel the effects of the sanctions. However, the severity of total impact to the farm sector is still to be determined,” said Finlay.
“Firstly, the Australian Government needs to seek greater clarity on the details of the ban and determine what this may mean for the sectors affected. Secondly, we need a strong commitment from the Australian government to work closely with the farm sector to facilitate the movement of produce to alternative markets, which would have otherwise been exported to Russia.
“As it stands, a key concern for Australia will be around the global marketplace and the flow-on effects to the Australian farm sector, a cornerstone of the Australian economy. As the ban was placed on a number of key western trading partners, we may see increased competition from these players affected by the ban, as they look to sell their products to other markets.”
Finlay said with more produce potentially coming onto the market, Australian may see a shift in current supply arrangements and possibly a drop in prices for Australian produce, hitting the back pockets of Australian farmers.
“More broadly, this reiterates the NFF’s call to ensure bilateral trade agreements with other nations have commercially meaningful outcomes and the need to further develop relationships with other trading partners during this period,” said Finlay.

Australian chicken meat production, consumption to carry on growing

Chicken meat will account for 28 percent of the meat consumed in Australia within the next five years. The prediction comes from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), which also forecasts that Australia's poultry production will continue growing.
The industry has expanded by 4 percent a year over the past decade and now makes up one-quarter of meat production, up from 18 percent 10 years ago.
ABARES points to the competitive pricing of chicken meat as the main factor for this growth. Over the five years to 2012-13, chicken was on average 21 percent cheaper than pork, 22 percent cheaper than beef and 45 percent cheaper than lamb.
The bureau believes that this price advantage will persist in the medium term and notes that the price differential reflects "strong productivity growth achieved in the Australian chicken meat industry over successive decades."
Dr. Andreas Dubs, executive director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation commented, "Consumers appreciate the good value that chicken represents but also appreciate the convenience, versatility and nutritional qualities of chicken meat."

Aviagen Australia fully invested in new facilities at Gouldburn

Construction of Aviagen Farms progresses at Gouldburn, Australia.
Aviagen Australia's plans to move its operations to Gouldburn are progressing well, with the project expected to be completed before the end of 2014. Aviagen broke ground in August 2013 on a recently acquired 850 acre block of land for a new five-farm facility designed to produce a growing supply of breeding stock for the future broiler industry in Australia.
The project has now progressed following the construction of a new 4-kilometer road and a complete power supply into the property. Multiple poultry sheds have sprung up all the way along the road with Farm 5 housing the future great grandparent stock set for completion in March and for the immediate placement of birds ready to go into production. This will be followed later in March by the three houses on Farm 2 and an additional three houses on Farm 3 during April. The project will reach completion when all the sheds on Farm 1 at the entrance of the property and the two sheds on Farm 4 are standing and equipped for the initial intake of birds. The company office will also be relocated and established in Goulburn over the coming months.
The new Braidwood Road farm is anticipated to be in full production in the fourth quarter of 2013 and will supply in time roughly half of the Ross 308 parent stock volume required for the local market. The planning has been extensive with the completion of an environmental impact report designed to ensure zero effect on the environment through effective management of water runoff and also extensive separation of houses with the purchase of over 4 times the minimum area land normally required for a commercial operation.  Setbacks are a minimum of at least 200 meters for the poultry sheds which consist of high quality design and components.  Poured concrete floors, sandwich panel walls filled with fire retardant foam and smooth easy to clean surfaces, completely housed cables and a curved ceiling designed to optimize ventilation all contribute to the new, efficient production facility.
Aviagen has a history of investing in the rural communities not only through the acquisition of land and construction of production facilities, but also in hiring and training local people to fill good quality jobs in production, hatchery, technical service and administrative functions in the company. The farm alone is planning to increase staff by recruiting for 14 new jobs and by the end of 2015 another 15 jobs are likely when the new hatchery in Goulburn is expected to be finished.
"We are pleased with the progress on the production unit and the location, The lack of any poultry production facilities in the nearby area, a short one-hour by road to the feed mill, two hours to Sydney and a strong interest in jobs from the local community all contribute to a desirable mix for running our day-to-day business," commented Peter Hanna, general manager of Aviagen Australia.

Avian influenza’s spread being prevented in Australia

An avian influenza outbreak reported at a layer farm in New South Wales, Australia, is being contained, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reported on October 23. The outbreak was initially reported on October 16.
As many as 435,000 free range and cage layer hens between 22 and 79 weeks old were initially susceptible to the avian influenza outbreak, with 18,000 hen fatalities. No further infected properties have been found, the OIE reported, and 75 percent of the susceptible birds have been removed.
A restricted area within a half-kilometer radius of the affected farm has been established. It is surrounded by a control area with a five-kilometer radius, which is under quarantine. Tracing of all movements with birds, eggs, people and vehicles is under way. An epidemiological investigation is being conducted in hopes of determining the source of the avian influenza infection.

Australian layer farm struck with avian influenza

A layer farm in New South Wales, Australia has been hit with an outbreak of highly pathogenic H7N2 avian influenza. The outbreak was reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health on October 16.
As many as 435,000 free range and cage layer hens between 22 and 79 weeks old were susceptible to the avian influenza outbreak, with 18,000 hen fatalities.
A restricted area with a half kilometer radius of the affected farm has been established. It is surrounded by a control area with a five kilometer radius, which is under quarantine. Tracing of all movements with birds, eggs, people and vehicles is under way.
An epidemiological investigation is being conducted in hopes of determining the source of the bird flu infection.
The premises will be disinfected.

Queensland alters free range layer stocking density standards

The Australian state of Queensland has altered the legal hen stocking density for free range egg producers.
Free range egg producers can now stock up to 10,000 birds per hectare as long as they meet certain welfare requirements. The previous limit had been 1,500 laying hens.
Other states in Australia already allow higher stocking densities, and the change was made to allow Queensland's free range egg producers to better compete in the national egg market. The change, however, has not been universally welcomed.
There is an ongoing debate in Australia over what consumers understand by free range. Consumer group Choice claims that the stocking standards have been altered by "stealth" and has launched an on-line petition against the change.

Australia's Poultry CRC gains positive government review

Australia's Poultry Cooperative Research Centre has been given a performance review by a government expert panel. Among the panel's findings were that the Poultry CRC is conducting direct and innovative research that offers a comprehensive approach to addressing the sustainability, environmental, economic and ethical production challenges facing the Australian poultry industry.
The panel noted that the caliber of the Poultry CRC's participants is impressive with 98 percent of the Australian poultry industry represented within the cooperative. It also found that the group is characterized by strong industry end-user engagement.
The Poultry CRC's education, training and skills programs are exemplary, the reviewers found, and are assisting the training of the next generation of researchers, industry workers and farmers. 

Egg farm identified as infection source in Australian salmonellosis outbreak

An egg producer in the Australian state of Victoria is being investigation as part of efforts to identify the source of an outbreak of salmonellsosis that affected 140 people and hospitalized 15 who had eaten mayonnaise at a restaurant in Canberra.
The outbreak first emerged in mid May and, at the height of the investigation, Australian Capital Territory Health had up to 30 people working on the case at any given time. Emergency response protocols were activated at Canberra Hospital and Calvary Hospital in response to the increasing number of people affected.
Dr. Paul Kelly, ACT chief health officer, commented that he had been struck by the symptoms of the outbreak and the attack rate, and that almost everyone who ate at the restaurant fell ill. Of those treated all had diarrhea, 94 percent presented with abdominal cramps and 92 had fever. One person has ongoing problems related to the infection.
Veterinary inspections are ongoing at the egg farm.

Inghams poultry firm purchased by TPG Capital

U.S. private equity firm TPG Capital has purchased the assets of Australia’s largest poultry firm Ingham Enterprises.
Bob Ingham, the sole shareholder of the company, confirmed the sale in a statement on March 9, Reuter’s reported, but he did not disclose the amount it sold for. TPG beat several other bidders in the auction to acquire the Ingham assets, with U.S. private equity firm Blackstone Group LP believed to have been a leading contender. Other possible bidders named included Chinese agribusiness giant New Hope and New Zealand’s Affinity Equity Partners.
Bob Ingham, sole shareholder of the company that owns the Ingham Chicken brand, put the poultry producer up for sale in July 2012. Ingham Enterprises was advised by Investec Bank and TPG was advised by Macquarie Capital.
Ingham said he does not anticipate the business will change much under the new ownership.
"An important part of the decision for me was finding a buyer who would ensure that our customers will continue to receive the highest level of service and our employees would be well looked after," Bob Ingham said.
Inghams has been one of Australia’s most successful privately owned businesses. It was founded in 1918 by Bob Ingham’s father, who set up a small chicken farm in bush land on Sydney’s western fringe. Bob Ingham and his late brother Jack inherited the business in 1953, when the farm had 650 pigs and 30,000 birds.

Australia egg industry responds to New Zealand colony cage move

The Australian Egg Corporation Limited has responded to New Zealand's announced shift to furnished or enriched colony cages for its hens, saying that if there was good evidence that hen welfare was significantly improved in colony cage systems, Australia would already have made changes, and that the jury is still out as to whether such colony cages and furnishings in the cage improve welfare for laying hens.
"The Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply in the U.S. is currently conducting major research comparing conventional with colony cage systems, and the AECL is monitoring the results closely," said the corporation. Australia has a number of colony cage systems, and the corporation continues to invest in animal welfare improvements for all farming systems, including cage-type systems.
"Not all consumers have concerns about cage eggs, as the vast majority of eggs sold in Australia are cage eggs — just under 70 percent," said the corporation. "Recent research by the University of Sydney suggests there is no difference in the stress levels of hens in barn, cage and free-range farming systems."
There are welfare advantages and disadvantages in each of the three farming systems. The advantages of cage farms are that hens are protected from inclement weather; protected from predators such as foxes, snakes and eagles; have access to clean food and fresh water; are better protected from potentially dangerous diseases such as avian influenza; are protected from soil or manure-borne diseases; and are less prone to bullying by other hens. The disadvantages are the hens have less room to move and display their full repertoire of natural behavior, said the corporation.

South Australia eggs now stamped for quality

South Australian eggs must now be stamped with the unique identification markings of their producers or processors, providing consumers with a ready means of determining origin and aiding in traceability, according to Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Gail Gago.
All egg producers selling eggs must comply with the new code, which covers eggs and egg products. Those producers with fewer than 50 chickens don't have to be accredited as long as they don't sell their eggs wholesale to food businesses or at farmers' markets. The majority of eggs will be stamped with "SA," followed by a number to identify the farm.
To gain accreditation, producers will need to contact BiosecuritySA, adopt a food-safety statement, comply with the new standards and pay an annual fee. The fees start at $175 for up to 1,000 hens and rise to $650 for 1,000 to 9,999 hens. Higher charges apply for larger farms.

Philippines bans Australia poultry imports due to avian flu outbreak

The Philippines Department of Agriculture has temporarily banned the importation of poultry and poultry products from Australia due to a reported outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country, according to reports.
The ban covers domestic and wild birds, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen, originating from New South Wales. The department also mandated that its veterinary quarantine officers in all major ports halt and confiscate all shipments of poultry and poultry products, with the exception of heat-treated products, from New South Wales.

The affected birds in Australia are free-range layer hens, according to the World Organization for Animal Health. A restricted area of 1-kilometer diameter surrounded by a 9-kilometer diameter control area has been established around the property, which is under quarantine restriction. Tracing is underway, and depopulation is complete, according to a report sent to the organization. Surveillance is continuing and no further signs of disease have been reported.