Posted: February 5, 2025
The current HPAI outbreaks in Pennsylvania are a reminder of the importance of biosecurity. Every person servicing Pennsylvania agriculture should have a 'biosecurity kit' for farm visits. This article provides links to resources that can help agricultural service professionals disinfectant choices and biosecurity practices.
An Act 38 planner contacted us inquiring about disinfectant recommendations for biosecurity kits. A concern of this individual was that the label on the product they had in hand called for a 10-minute contact time, which is not always practical. The EPA has a website that lists specific products that can be used against HPAI. The long list has multiple pages and a column that lists contact time (some of which are as low as 30 seconds). Remember that removal of organic material is always a critical first step.
Our state-level veterinarians are using a product called Vikron, which is also available for vehicle/tire disinfection.
The Healthy Farms Healthy Agriculture website provides a comprehensive biosecurity overview. The site is deep and can be used as a reference and learning tool. The site includes (or has links to) information such as:
- Farm visits and biosecurity kit equipment
- Cleaning and disinfection tips
- Farm visitor risk assessment
Robb Meinen
Director, Penn State Nutrient Management Education Program
