Minister Wiersma (LVVN): “I am pleased that the poultry sector wants to take this step with me. Vaccination offers a tremendous opportunity to better manage avian influenza. With this pilot, we are taking an important step towards responsible and large-scale vaccination.”
Objective and Approach
The pilot is an essential step to gain practical experience with vaccination. The aim is, on the one hand, to investigate how the market responds to the sale of the products and, on the other hand, to gain experience with the implementation of the surveillance program. This program ensures that any infection on a vaccinated farm is quickly detected.
The pilot will run until early 2027 and starts at one poultry farm, with possible expansion to multiple farms. Chicks will be vaccinated at the hatchery and eventually placed as laying hens on a laying farm. The eggs from these hens will be sold exclusively within the Netherlands, so that trade with third countries is not hindered.
Gradual Implementation
Large-scale vaccination requires a gradual approach. Immediate large-scale implementation demands an expansion of the veterinary infrastructure and a well-organized marketing of the products. Additionally, this may have significant trade implications, necessitating extra trade agreements. Therefore, the Ministry of LVVN opts for a gradual implementation, allowing both effectiveness and economic impact to be closely monitored.
Other countries are watching this pilot with interest. The Netherlands is committed to broad international acceptance of vaccination against avian influenza, ensuring that Dutch poultry farms are better protected against future outbreaks.