The university of minnesota (UMN) will address the risks created by a new source of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus for poultry flocks and the impacts on the risk of continuity of…

The University of Minnesota, through its Office of Sponsored Projects Administration, will conduct a comprehensive review and update of Secure Poultry Supply (SPS) Risk Assessments (RAs) to address emerging threats from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus transmission through cattle and other animal species. Under this Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) through the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025), the university will engage relevant commodity sector work groups to evaluate existing RAs and develop amendments that account for new virus sources and transmission pathways. The final products will include revised RAs translated into permit guidance and published on the SPS website to inform safe bird and product movements during HPAI outbreaks.

This two-year award ($254,945), which commenced on August 1, 2025, and concludes on July 31, 2027, will directly benefit poultry producers, associated industries, and state and federal regulatory agencies by ensuring emergency response protocols remain aligned with current epidemiological understanding and industry conditions. By updating risk assessment frameworks to reflect evolving disease dynamics, the project addresses critical gaps in regulatory guidance that emerged following the recent detection of HPAI in non-poultry species, thereby maintaining the operational continuity of the poultry supply chain during disease events.

The university of minnesota (UMN) will address the risks created by a new source of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus for poultry flocks and the impacts on the risk of continuity of business movements during HPAI outbreaks. The secure poultry supply (SPS) risk assessments (RAS) provide the information that producers and regulators rely upon to safely move birds and products during HPAI outbreaks but, they were conducted before the emergence of avian influenza in cattle and other species. The RAS that might be impacted will be targeted for a full review and potential amendments to address and mitigate the new risks. UMN will engage relevant commodity sector work groups to review and update the RAS as needed. At the conclusion of the proposed work, all SPS RAS will have been reviewed and amended as needed to address new virus sources. The amended RAS will be translated into permit guidance and published on the SPS website for use in guiding permitted animal movements during HPAI outbreaks. This project will benefit poultry produ cers, associated industries, and state and federal regulatory agencies by ensuring that emergency response plans are updated to keep pace with changes in the risks associated with virus, industry, regulatory, and host changes.