Poultry farmers in the East say legislation needs to change to stop bird flu spreading
A fourth poultry farm in Suffolk has been hit by bird flu as cases continue to rise across East Anglia,
A fourth poultry farm in Suffolk has been hit by bird flu as cases continue to rise across East Anglia, prompting fresh concern from farmers and a renewed call for strict biosecurity.
The H5N1 strain was confirmed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) at a commercial site near Woodbridge, triggering an immediate protection zone around the area.
It brings the number of confirmed cases across East Anglia this autumn to eight, most of them clustered near the Suffolk–Norfolk border.
Across England and Wales, mandatory national housing measures for birds have now been introduced. The aim is to reduce contact between domestic flocks and wild birds, which carry and spread the virus.
“We seem to be in the middle of an avian influenza war zone”
Mark Gorton, owner and managing director at Traditional Norfolk Poultry, which has farms in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, told us the sector is under intense pressure.
“At the moment we seem to be in the middle of an avian influenza war zone, and my biggest concern is that we lose another farm to this horrendous, horrific disease.”
He explained that when a case is suspected, farms face devastating consequences.
“As soon as we get that call, you can imagine the bottom of our world falls out because we know that the inevitable is about to happen.”
If the virus is confirmed, all birds on that holding must be humanely culled, and the site must undergo a deep clean and disinfection process before restocking can be considered.
More outbreaks but no shortage of Christmas turkeys, farmers say
Despite the rising number of cases, Mr Gorton said shoppers should not be worried about festive supplies:
“There’s lots and lots of turkeys… absolutely 100% sure that nobody will go short.”
His business is still preparing birds for the Christmas market even after losing some flocks to infection.
Action needed - "The current ways to control this disease simply are not working"
We asked Gorton what action he would like to see to prevent the spread of bird flu.
"So the current ways to control this disease simply are not working... we need a vaccine, there are vaccines, and there are countries around the world, like Mexico and Egypt and various other countries that do vaccinate, but unfortunately, we are unable to do that because of legislation.
"And we are busy, working on that legislation to try and get it so that we can vaccinate, but nothing is going to change until such a point that we can vaccinate, and we have to push and push and push to get that to happen."
Vaccines, medicines and cost
Mr Gorton also clarified the difference between bird flu vaccines and treatments, something he said is often misunderstood:
“We shouldn’t confuse vaccines with medicines… a vaccine is basically challenging that animal to a disease to stop catching it in the future, whereas with a medicine… that’s what you treat animals with once they catch the disease.”
He added that farmers expect to pay for vaccines when they become available:
“If it protects our flocks then it’s a small price to pay… I’m quite sure we would all be very happy to do so if we know it’s going to protect our birds.”
Public urged to play a role in slowing the spread
With the weekend expected to draw people to beaches, parks and the Broads, Mr Gorton urged the public to be cautious:
“You don’t want to be responsible for spreading this disease… microscopic amounts of this virus will potentially destroy a farmer’s business.”
He encouraged people to clean boots, wash hands and avoid contact with wild bird droppings.
NFU: ‘Vital the government acts decisively’
The National Farmers’ Union welcomed the introduction of mandatory housing measures.
NFU Poultry Board Chair Will Raw said:
“It is vital the government acts decisively to protect farmers across the country from the threat of avian influenza… Housing birds is an important part of a suite of measures to help prevent any further outbreaks of this devastating disease.”
He also urged all bird keepers to stay vigilant, maintain “stringent biosecurity” and report concerns early.
A Defra spokesperson said:
“Mandatory housing measures have been introduced as a precaution to help protect poultry and captive birds from avian influenza. We continue to support keepers with clear guidance, and anyone who suspects the disease must report it immediately.”
The UK Health Security Agency maintains that the risk to public health from H5N1 remains very low.
The Food Standards Agency says properly handled and cooked poultry remains safe to eat.