Arkansas Department of Agriculture Urges Poultry Owners to Monitor for Avian Influenza
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is reminding poultry producers, industry partners, and the public to remain alert for signs of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and to follow biosecurity measures to protect flocks as detections continue across the United States.
On October 27, 2026, the Department confirmed the first case of HPAI this season in a backyard domestic poultry flock in eastern Baxter County. While this is currently the only detection in Arkansas, increasing detections in other states reinforce the importance of continued prevention and monitoring.
HPAI is a highly contagious virus that affects both domestic and wild birds. It can cause sudden death or severe illness in poultry and lead to major economic losses for producers and the state’s poultry industry, which is valued at more than $6.7 billion annually. The virus spreads easily through contact with infected birds, contaminated equipment, or materials, and even a single detection can disrupt trade and local food supply chains.
Under Arkansas state rule, any suspected or confirmed case of avian influenza must be reported immediately to the Department. State regulations authorize the Department to quarantine infected premises, restrict poultry movement within designated control zones, and require depopulation and disinfection when necessary to prevent further spread.
To protect flocks, poultry owners should follow strict biosecurity practices, including washing hands and shoes before and after contact with birds, limiting exposure to wild birds, restricting visitors to poultry areas, and quarantining new birds for at least two weeks. Poultry owners should also report any unusual illness or sudden deaths in their flocks to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture at (501) 823-1746.
More information, biosecurity guidance, and updates on HPAI in Arkansas can be found on the Department’s website.
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Media Contact: Ayden Duncan
(501) 813-6012
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