€800 million went to direct aid while a further €300 million was paid in contributions to improve biosecurity in the sector.
The French ministry of agriculture has already spent € 1.2 billion in support for farmers and companies affected by the large bird flu epidemic. Of this, €800 million went to direct aid, while another €300 million was paid to contributions to improve biosecurity in the sector.
Limit subsequent outbreaks
This was reported during a consultation between Minister Marc Fesneau and all parties involved in the poultry world. Several dozen joint actions were also discussed to limit subsequent outbreaks and, above all, their consequences where possible. “In order to determine those measures, a lot of consultation has taken place to analyze the experiences of each organization with regard to the bird flu crisis. The aim is to further complete the action plan drawn up in 2021, based on those experiences,” the ministry said.
Bird flu endemic
Fesneau: “We are faced with a virus that is evolving and we have to adapt our measures. The virus exhibits much longer incubation times. We therefore need to strengthen the resources available to poultry farmers and veterinarians to better monitor the veterinary situation and anticipate its evolution. There is a risk that the virus will become endemic. That is why we need to review the indicators that determine the risk period. In doing so, we must make use of the experience gained and take more into account the specificities of each region and production method.”