The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced in a press release that it would be updating the policies it already has in place to enhance testing of turkey flocks to combat the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or highly pathogenic bird flu.

The goal of the updated policy is to ensure that no affected poultry enters the food system.

The press release states that out of an abundance of caution, APHIS, state animal health officials and the poultry industry will implement isolation systems for turkey premises outside of control areas in HPAI areas.

The isolation systems will include clinical monitoring and pre-movement testing 72 hours prior to the turkeys being sent for slaughter.

The pre-slaughter surveillance system will be implemented in turkey premises greater than 500 birds in Minnesota and South Dakota.

APHIS will continue to monitor data and detections of outbreaks and may update the policy to include additional states, if needed.

APHIS has compiled a dashboard containing all updated HPAI outbreak information on its website.