High-tech help may be on the way to keep avian flu at bay

Bird strikes can be deadly to airplanes taking off and landing at airports, so to ward off these avian threats, airports have for decades deployed lasers.

And by all accounts, it has been very successful.

Poultry farmers can deploy the same laser-based technology to keep avian flu-infected birds away from their flocks.

Rep. John Burkel (R-Badger) wants to give them some financial help to do so.

He sponsors HF1503, which would establish a Department of Agriculture program to award grants to poultry producers for avian influenza-prevention measures.

“I really feel that this bill addresses a situation on the ground with farmers that are really dealing with a financial stress, an emotional stress,” he said. “We’ve all seen what avian influenza can do to our poultry industry.”

Grants would not be limited to buying lasers; the bill specifies that the grants could be also used to purchase sound systems, air cannons, or visual deterrents such as air socks.

The House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee amended the bill Wednesday, then laid it over for possible omnibus bill inclusion.

No monetary amount is specified in the bill. Burkel said that would have to wait until after the state’s latest budget forecast is released Thursday.

Ashley Kohls, executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, said about 100 laser systems have been installed across the state.

Each poultry barn needs two lasers, one atop each end, she said. While they have shown to be very effective they are not cheap, costing between $17,000 and $20,000 apiece.

Eligible grantees could be Minesota poultry producers, and they would have to document that they have shared 20% of the cost to implement the prevention measures, but the department could reduce that amount up to $2,000 to cover time and labor costs.

Grantees would be required to document expenses and report annually about the effectiveness of the prevention methods they purchased.