Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
Henry A. Wallace Building
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
(515) 281-5321

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, January 22, 2003

(Des Moines, IA) Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge today announced that an order has been issued for the purpose of taking immediate action to protect the health of Iowa’s poultry industry.

The order modifying importation requirements of avian species/products is effective immediately.

The order states that no avian species or avian products originating from California or Nevada, areas considered to be endemic for Exotic Newcastle Disease, will be allowed entry into Iowa.

The only exceptions to this order will be by approval of State Veterinarian Dr. John Schiltz, based upon epidemiological evaluation and risk determination.

Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) is a highly contagious and often fatal poultry disease which was first confirmed in Southern California and spread from backyard poultry to commercial facilities. The disease has cost California millions of dollars and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials , along with veterinarians recruited from around the country, have been in California fighting the disease with a full-scale eradication program. All of southern California is under quarantine and Governor Gray Davis declared a state of emergency.

Recently, the disease has been discovered in a flock of chickens in the state of Nevada.

“We must be pro-active and protect Iowa’s poultry industry. Iowa has a thriving poultry industry and is number one in the nation in egg production. This order will ensure that poultry and poultry products from those states which have Exotic Newcastle Disease will not be allowed to enter Iowa,” Secretary Judge stated.

Dr. John Schiltz, State Veterinarian commented, “Symptoms of the poultry disease include sudden death, drop in egg production, paralysis and swelling in the eye area. There is no effective cure for this disease. The only way to eradicate Exotic Newcastle Disease is by strict surveillance, quarantine and depopulation efforts, which is why it is very important to implement this order to protect Iowa’s poultry industry.”

Among those veterinarians that went to the aid of California was Dr. Patrick Webb, Foreign Animal Disease Coordinator for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Dr. Webb spent three weeks in southern California as part of the Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) task force, assisting USDA and state officials in epidemiological determination and the eradication program.

Secretary Judge and Dr. Schiltz are asking Iowa’s poultry producers to remain on alert and step up their bio-security measures.

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