FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JANUARY 8, 2003
CONTACT: LINDA MACIAS/PAUL TODD (202) 225-6161

Baca Urges Farmers to Report Infected Birds Immediately

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representative Joe Baca (D-Rialto) urged breeders of game birds in the Inland Empire to contact their local United States Department of Agriculture office to report incidents of sick birds immediately. Birds all over the Inland Empire have died of a contagious and fatal viral disease that affects all species of birds called Exotic Newcastle Disease, which has recently been discovered in poultry in the Counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego.

Newcastle disease is one of the most infectious poultry diseases in existence. All infected birds in the entire five county area will have to be destroyed. Although 143,000 birds have been destroyed so far across southern California, the disease remains still mostly unchecked and concentrated in noncommercial poultry and exotic bird operations in urban to suburban Latino neighborhoods.

"This is an important health and safety issue, both for our local poultry farmers in the Inland Empire and for Latino neighborhoods, where many people keep and raise exotic game birds," said Baca, who is the only member of the House Agriculture Committee from Southern California. "It's vital that breeders of poultry, both large and small report incidents of sick birds to the USDA right away."

The five-county area is under quarantine. As a result of this outbreak, several foreign countries have banned poultry from California and a few have banned all U.S. raised poultry. It is estimated that the lost exports will cost $1 million weekly in lost revenues. The same region of California experienced a similar outbreak of the disease in 1971, which lasted three years.

"Compensation programs exist to help poultry farmers mitigate the costs of this outbreak, but farmers must be proactive in contacting the USDA," Baca said. "More importantly, all breeders of infected birds must report sick birds. The epidemic cannot end until all the infected birds are destroyed."

To obtain more information or to report sick birds, contact USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) at (301) 734-8073.

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