Poultry Farm Safety

[Anchor Lead]

Authorities have embarked on improving poultry farm conditions to prevent avian influenza outbreaks from occurring every year. Under the new regulations, distribution of live poultry will be banned.

[Pkg]

The government has decided to take measures to improve conditions in which poultry is raised, as overcrowded hen cages are increasingly being blamed for avian influenza outbreaks. First off, restructuring measures will be taken to relocate or merge overcrowded poultry farms. Authorities hope that the new regulations will be able to prevent massive outbreaks of avian influenza. The measures will be first implemented on a pilot basis next year and are slated for completion in 2020.

[Soundbite] Heo Tae-woong(Min. of Food, Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries) : "The measures were devised based on the fact that 15 regions in the nation with overcrowded poultry farms account for 15 percent of avian influenza outbreaks."

To prevent the spread of avian influenza via traditional markets and garden-type restaurants, distribution of live chickens and ducks will be banned in stages. Starting in 2022, distribution of live poultry will be outlawed altogether. The government will provide subsidies to prevent livestock vendors from suffering damages stemming from the distribution ban. The government will also expand funding for R&D projects to maximize the effectiveness of quarantine measures.

[Soundbite] Heo Tae-woong(Min. of Food, Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries) : "We will upgrade the avian influenza risk prediction system based on big data, and develop and supply portable avian influenza diagnostic tools that can detect the virus in a swift and accurate way."

In the long term, the government aims to transform the livestock industry into an environmentally friendly one. Next year, the authorities will conduct livestock surveys to draw guidelines for each type of livestock.