As of January 07, 2022, France has 63 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in livestock. It is the Landes department which, once again, is the most affected with 33 contaminated farms. The Minister of Agriculture recalled that “it is three times less than last year at the same time”. Yet Julien Denormandie acknowledged that the virus continued to circulate.
France bleu Gascogne: What is the situation today in France and more specifically in the Landes?
Julien Denormandie: We are facing a new episode of avian influenza. Unfortunately, our country, like many European countries today, is affected by a new episode of avian influenza. France is less affected than other European countries, where the situations are incredibly difficult, I am thinking of Italy and Germany, in particular. But the fact remains that we are severely affected by this episode of avian influenza. Tonight, there are 63 farms nationwide that are impacted by this virus, including 33 in the Landes department alone. We are in a situation which is of great concern because we see that the virus continues to spread despite a large number of health protection measures taken.
Exactly one year ago, you announced massive depopulation. Can you promise the Landes breeders today that this will not be the case today or tomorrow?
Your question is very complicated. When the virus is there, the only way to fight it is to depopulate the farms that are infected and to do the same in a surrounding protection zone. As I speak to you, several hundred thousand poultry have already been slaughtered. It’s the only way. When the virus arrives, we have no choice but to depopulate.
The situation is very worrying. So if we have to go further than what we are doing today, we will do it without hesitation
Today The situation is very worrying. Will the protocols have to be adapted? This cannot be ruled out. If we have to go further, we will go further. This is really the meaning of this great meeting that I held this afternoon here in Mont-de-Marsan, with Geneviève Darrieussecq and all the professionals. So if we need to go even further than what we are implementing today, we will and we will do it without any hesitation.
This is the fourth episode of the bird crisis in six. What do you say to the Landes breeders?
I tell them that there is obviously human support. There is also economic support since we are already going to reopen all the compensation mechanisms. In the Nord department, which was impacted several weeks ago, the devices have already been opened. In the Landes department, the systems will be open from mid January.
I also tell them that all the efforts they made were necessary. That’s a lot of investment, especially in biosecurity measures. These investments are probably not unrelated to the fact that compared to last year, at the same time, we have three times fewer cases in this department of the Landes. But unfortunately, it is clear that despite this, the virus manages to circulate and this in a very worrying manner.
So what solution?
How do we ensure the sustainability of our farms in a situation where, every year now, the virus returns to our territory? Obviously, through health protection and biosecurity measures, but also and probably through progress on issues such as vaccination. Moreover, I am announcing that we are going to launch experiments in very specific areas with two potential vaccines, one of which is produced by a laboratory in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. We must also bring the subject to European level, which I will be doing in the next few weeks. To be able to convince that this question of vaccination is probably essential. It includes other issues, including economic issues and export issues. And so, we have to find the right balance.
Vaccination is one of the weapons in the fight against avian influenza
I have always had a very clear position. I think that in the long term, vaccination must absolutely be one of the weapons we must equip ourselves with in order to be able to fight against this phenomenon of avian influenza. I have no doubts about it, so we have to act methodically. We must act in concert with the professionals. We have to act scientifically. We will be the first European country to do so. Today, there is no approved vaccine.
So in what territory and with what protocol? We will have a big meeting with all the professionals on January 12 to determine all this. I think that there is no other solution in the long term than to acquire the vaccination. I’m convinced. But once again, with method and consultation.