In the absence of new outbreaks for more than one month, France declared itself free of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to the World Organisation for Animal Health on 17 December 2024. The return to this status is significant news for all stakeholders in the French poultry production chains, who have been mobilised alongside government services for years in the fight against this epizootic.
Since early August 2024, twelve HPAI outbreaks have been detected in poultry holdings and three in backyard flocks. Following the culling and disinfection of the affected farms, surveillance at the last two infected sites was lifted on 15 December in Landes and on 16 December in Allier.
The recovery of disease-free status is the result of the mobilisation and commitment of all sector stakeholders to implement the joint control strategy in the affected areas, complemented by the vaccination strategy deployed for the second consecutive year since 1 October 2024.
This status opens up more favourable prospects for major French integrators, which are partly dependent on export markets. Nevertheless, it is essential that all industry stakeholders maintain constant vigilance.
However, the French Government and poultry industry stress that there must be no let-up in vigilance, as the dynamics of viral circulation among wild birds remain active across Europe, particularly along the flyways used by millions of migratory birds. For this reason, the epizootic risk remains at its highest level (High).