With bird flu cases on the rise, France is stepping up precautions to protect its poultry and farmers.<\/p>\n
France is raising its bird flu alert to the highest level this Wednesday, after a spike of new cases in poultry and backyard flocks, triggering tighter biosecurity rules including the confinement of birds.<\/p>\n
A government decree published on Tuesday in the Journal officiel<\/a> confirmed the risk level will move from \u201cmoderate\u201d to \u201chigh\u201d, the top tier in the national alert system. The move means poultry must now be sheltered and protected from contact with wild birds \u2013 an early precaution compared with previous years.<\/p>\n Authorities said the decision was prompted by \u201cthe dynamic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI<\/a>) in migratory flyways crossing France\u201d, with new cases detected among migratory wild birds on French territory. These birds, officials warned, could pass the virus to domestic flocks.<\/p>\n In just ten days, five outbreaks of HPAI have been confirmed across the country \u2013 two on commercial poultry farms and three in smaller backyard holdings. The new decree aims to \u201creinforce surveillance and prevention measures\u201d to limit further spread.<\/p>\n Hundreds of geese slaughtered as bird flu grips France’s Dordogne<\/a><\/p>\n Early warning<\/p>\n France classifies bird flu risk in three categories \u2013 negligible, moderate, and high. The level had remained \u201cnegligible\u201d since May, before being raised to \u201cmoderate\u201d last week.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s shift to the highest alert comes earlier than usual: in previous seasons, it was typically activated only in November or December.<\/p>\n Under the \u201chigh risk<\/a>\u201d designation, birds must be sheltered indoors or protected by nets. On larger farms with more than 50 birds, feeding and watering systems must also be covered to prevent contamination from wild species. Smaller flocks must be either confined or kept under netting.<\/p>\n Since October 2023, France has slightly eased certain confinement rules to ease the strain on free-range producers.<\/p>\n Poultry farmers raising chickens and guinea fowl can, from eight weeks of age, and turkeys from ten weeks, let their birds outside \u2013 but only in restricted areas and without needing prior approval from local authorities.<\/p>\n Laying hens kept outdoors may also continue to roam within a reduced enclosure, provided farmers obtain the green light from their regional prefecture.<\/p>\n