HUNTINGBURG, Ind. – Noting this was the first case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza discovered in the state of Indiana, officials with Farbest Foods Inc. confirmed the affected flock was initially identified by the company's tests at one of its producer's farms and confirmed by Purdue Univ.'s Avian Diagnostic Lab and also confirmed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. The virus was identified as HPAI H7N8, a different strain from that of last year, which dealt a blow to the commercial turkey industry in the US. 

In a Jan. 15 statement posted on the its website, the company said, "Federal and state officials will be working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in the nearby area, following the existing avian influenza response plan for Indiana. The company also stated that its food supply has not been affected and the risk of the virus infection spreading to people is considered to be low by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Birds from the affected flock did not enter the food chain.  


"APHIS and the Indiana State Board of Animal Health have initiated the incident command response, and APHIS will assist in depopulating the remaining birds on the farm to prevent the spread of the disease," according to the statement. 

"The quick detection by our surveillance protocol has worked as intended and will help protect our flocks and keep our food safe," the company said.