Commissioner Tyler J Harper Declares Georgia is “HPAI-Free” Following Detections in Three Commercial Poultry Flocks in Hart and Walker County

Fri, Mar 13 2026

ATLANTA, GA - Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper announced that the State of Georgia has officially regained its status as free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in poultry as of March 13th. This follows detections of HPAI at a single commercial poultry operation in Hart County and two in Walker County, marking seven detections of Avian Influenza in commercial poultry or waterfowl operations in the state since the nationwide outbreak began in 2022. This designation allows for the resumption of exports and international trade of Georgia poultry products as recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).

"Thanks to the tireless efforts of our Georgia Department of Agriculture staff and partners in this response, today, we are able to declare the State of Georgia is free from HPAI," said Commissioner Tyler J Harper. "While this declaration marks the end of our operations at the affected premises and in the control zone, HPAI remains a significant threat to our state's #1 industry, and we will continue working around the clock to keep HPAI out of our state, protect Georgia's poultry flock, and bring down prices for Georgia consumers."

Flock owners should note that HPAI-free status in poultry is NOT an "all clear" or an indication that the risk of the disease is over in Georgia or the United States. Owners of all flocks, large and small, must remain vigilant with their biosecurity to prevent the virus's introduction.

"We're pleased that Georgia has officially been declared free of HPAI in poultry. While the risk of HPAI still exists across the country, we are hopeful that with the continued diligence of responsible flock owners, we can maintain this status," said State Veterinarian Dr. Janemarie Hennebelle. "It's critical for poultry growers and flock owners to limit contact between wild birds and poultry, follow biosecurity protocols carefully, and remain vigilant for signs of HPAI in their flocks."

The influenza virus is still very active throughout parts of the United States. 2,142 HPAI outbreaks have been reported in 50 states and 1 U.S. territory since February 2022, with new cases as recently as this week. Various species of wild birds infected with HPAI have been found from coast to coast, including waterfowl (ducks, geese, gulls, etc.), raptors (vultures and eagles), and other common species (wild turkey).

Most recently in Georgia, one positive HPAI case was detected on January 13th, 2026, in a commercial poultry operation in Walker County, and another on January 23rd, 2026. The third was confirmed on February 2nd, 2026, in Hart County. This marks the 7th case in a commercial operation (commercial poultry: 6, commercial waterfowl: 1) in Georgia and the 11th detection in the state overall since the nationwide outbreak began in 2022. All control areas and surveillance zones have been released.

The State of Georgia remains a model for the nation in HPAI surveillance, detection, and mitigation. To date, the ongoing nationwide outbreak has affected more than 204 million birds and 973 commercial flocks across the country. In Georgia, only 471,900 birds representing just 6 commercial chicken flocks and 1 commercial waterfowl flock have been impacted.

Under WOAH guidelines, HPAI-free status in poultry can be declared for a state or region after the disease has been eliminated on all affected farms and no new infections are detected during a minimum period of 28 days.

About HPAI
Avian influenza is a viral disease of poultry. It can be of low pathogenicity (LPAI), causing mild disease, or high pathogenicity (HPAI), causing severe illness and death. The virus has different strains, for example, H1N1 or H7N3. Some LPAI viruses can mutate and become HPAI viruses. Waterfowl and other wild birds contribute to the spread of avian influenza.

Food Safety: Avian influenza does not pose a risk to the food supply. The risk of human infection with avian influenza is very low.

Signs of HPAI: Signs include sudden death without clinical signs; lack of energy or appetite; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple discoloration of the head, eyelids, comb, hocks, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, lack of coordination, and diarrhea.
Reporting Disease: Promptly report any observation of domestic or wild birds with the signs as described above.

• Domestic birds: Call the AI Hotline at 770-766-6850. Testing is free through the https://www.gapoultrylab.org/avian-influenza-hotline/.
• Wild birds: Report sick or dead wild birds when seen in unusually high numbers in a single location to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at 1-800-366-2661 or https://georgiawildlife.com/report-dead-birds.

• Category
• Avian Influenza

• Category
• Animal Health & Diseases

Media contacts

• Matthew Agvent,Communications Director
• Liz Rivera-Brown,Deputy Communications Director

About the GDA
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is the voice of the state's agriculture community. The department's mission is to provide excellence in services and regulatory functions, to protect and promote agriculture and consumer interests, and to ensure an abundance of safe food and fiber for Georgia, America, and the world by using state-of-the-art technology and a professional workforce.

Find us on Facebook • Follow on Twitter: @GDAFoodSafety •@GeorgiaGrown

For more information, visit https://www.agr.georgia.gov.

Georgia Department of Agriculture
Tyler J Harper, Commissioner
19 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30334