State

Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Fall HPAI Planning Survey - Overview
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is
not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid
OMB control number for this information collection is 0579-XXXX. The time required to complete this
information collection is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information.

OMB Approved
0579-XXXX
Exp. XX/XXXX

To help APHIS prepare for a potential HPAI outbreak in your State this fall, please complete this
survey. Data from the survey will help APHIS assist your State if an outbreak occurs. Specifically, the
survey will ask you to describe steps taken by your State to prepare for an HPAI outbreak this fall.
The questions marked with an * must be completed in order to move on. If you don’t know an answer
select “Don’t know” on the multiple choice questions and on the write in questions write in “n/a” or
“don’t know” if applicable.
Even though Survey Monkey will allow you to save and return to the survey to edit or complete later,
you may want to print the pdf version and gather the information before starting the survey.
If you are taking the survey and find you that you are stuck, select or write in Don’t know and provide
the information when you send in the spreadsheets.
If you have questions please contact Diane Sutton at 301-851-3509 or
Diane.L.Sutton@aphis.usda.gov.

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Respondent Information
* 1. State:

* 2. Your name:

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
General Preparedness
* 3. Does your State have an incident response plan for a fall HPAI outbreak?
Yes, we have an HPAI specific plan
Yes, we plan to use our LPAI plan
No
Don't know
If yes, and you are comfortable sharing, please email any documents and associated SOPs to vs.sprs.feedback@aphis.usda.gov
with the provided spreadsheet by July 24, 2015. If you’d prefer, you can provide us access to documents by writing a URL address to
the documents in the comment block below.

* 4. Does your State have an incident management team(s) or a task force(s) prepared for a fall HPAI
outbreak?
Yes

please describe in the comment field below including type of team, readiness level, and number of and types of personnel.

No
Don't know
Comment

* 5. Does your State have a list of key people (e.g. State, industry, and local officials and their public affairs
contacts, emergency coordinators, composting experts, waste management experts, contract companies for
response assistance, poultry specialists or others) who would be instrumental in responding to an HPAI
outbreak?
Yes
No
Don't know
If yes and you are comfortable sharing, please email documents to vs.sprs.feedback@aphis.usda.gov with the attached
spreadsheet by July 24, 2015. If you’d prefer, you can provide us access to documents by writing a URL address to the documents in
the comment box below.

If no or you do not want to share your list, please use the spreadsheet provided to compile any contacts you are willing to share.

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* 6. Does your State have a Poultry Emergency Management Committee (as defined in the LPAI Initial State
Response and Containment Plan)?
Yes
No
Don't know

* 7. Do you have authority to set up control zones with movement restrictions within and outside of a control
zone or to quarantine exposed properties (no known agent detected)?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment:

* 8. Have you identified potential locations for an Incident Command Post site(s) in areas of high poultry
density in the event of a fall HPAI outbreak?
Yes

please provide the location(s) and information about the locations in the spreadsheet provided

No
Don't know

* 9. What approximate percentage of your employees have Incident Command System (ICS) training? (use
your best estimate)

* 10. What approximate percentage of your employees have ever worked within an ICS structure? (use your
best estimate)

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* 11. Based on the predominant types of commercial poultry in your State and typical flock sizes, how many
newly infected flocks per week is your State prepared to respond to using only State and industry resources
and within-State APHIS resources in the event of fall HPAI outbreak? Assume that 10 percent of the infected
flocks will be backyard flocks.
< 1 newly infected flock per week
1 newly infected flock per week
2 newly infected flocks per week
3 to 4 newly infected flocks per week
5 to 6 newly infected flocks per week
7 to 9 newly infected flocks per week
10 to 12 newly infected flocks per week
13 to 15 newly infected flocks per week
> 15 newly infected flocks per week
Other (specify in comment field)
Comment

* 12. Have you or do you plan to cancel poultry exhibitions and live bird sales through markets and swap
meets this fall/winter? (check all that apply)
Have or will cancel exhibitions this fall/winter
Have or will cancel sales this fall/winter
Have not decided

* 13. We plan to cancel poultry exhibitions if: (at least one response for each row is required, check all that
apply on each row)

Wildlife

Backyard
flocks

Commercial
Poultry

Will not or
unlikely to
cancel

Undecided

HPAI is detected in a flyway associated with my
State in :
HPAI is detected in nearby States in:
HPAI is detected in my State in:
None of the above. Please explain:

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* 14. We plan to cancel all live bird sales throughmarkets and swap meets this fall/winter if: (at least one
response for each row is required, check all that apply on each row)

Wildlife

Backyard
flocks

Commercial
Poultry

Will not or
unlikely to
cancel

Undecided

HPAI is detected in a flyway associated with my
State in :
HPAI is detected in nearby States in:
HPAI is detected in my State in:
None of the above. Please explain

* 15. On a scale of 1-5, how would you assess biosecurity practices used in your State’s poultry industry? (5
being very confident in the biosecurity measures and their effectiveness, and 1 being not at all confident in
the biosecurity measures and their effectiveness)?
1 (not confident)

2

3

4

5 (very confident)

Don't know

* 16. What is being done in your State to increase industry biosecurity and address gaps? (check all that
apply)
Meetings with industry
Biosecurity webinars for industry
Development of producer or company site specific biosecurity plans
Biosecurity communications to industry by email or mail
Biosecurity messages through media (print, radio, etc.)
Paper audits of biosecurity plans
Site audits of biosecurity plans
Site visits to assist in development or implementation of biosecurity plans
Hands-on training
Outreach directed specifically to backyard poultry owners
Other (please specify)

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* 17. Do State/local public affairs staffs have HPAI materials and a communication plan for media and
producers?
Yes
No
Don't know

18. Please list any other actions you have taken in your State to prepare for a fall HPAI outbreak including
collaborations with the poultry industries in your State.

19. Please share any actions you are aware of being taken by the industry in your State to prepare for a fall
outbreak.

* 20. Personnel will need to use respirators when responding to an HPAI outbreak. Do you have a process in
place for State and industry responders to be cleared for respirator use?
Yes
No
Don't know

* 21. What approximate percentage of your potential responders are cleared for respirator use? (use your
best estimate)

* 22. What approximate percentage of your potential responders are fit tested for respirator use? (use your
best estimate)

* 23. In the event that you request assistance from APHIS in responding to an HPAI outbreak this fall, have
you considered which authorities will be delegated, and have you prepared a delegation of authority that
could be enacted rapidly?
Yes
No
Don't know

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* 24. During the current HPAI incident, State and local public health departments (in collaboration with CDC
and APHIS) are actively engaged in monitoring all HPAI H5 responders for illness compatible with influenza.
Have you worked with State/local public health agencies to determine whether responders will be vaccinated
for flu and how public health officials will respond (e.g. will they want to participate with APHIS and CDC in
monitoring responders or take other actions) to an incident?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 24 follow-up
You responded Yes to:
During the current HPAI incident, State and local public health departments (in collaboration with
CDC and APHIS) are actively engaged in monitoring all HPAI H5 responders for illness compatible
with influenza. Have you worked with State/local public health agencies to determine whether
responders will be vaccinated for flu and how public health officials will respond (e.g. will they want
to participate with APHIS and CDC in monitoring responders or take other actions) to an incident?
*

Do State/local public health agencies plan on taking an active role?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Diagnostic Laboratory Preparedness
* 25. Is your NAHLN lab ready, willing and able to conduct avian influenza PCR testing and provide results
within 6 hours, around the clock if needed? Please consider competing testing priorities, overtime, union
issues, courier needs, number of proficiency tested technicians, confirmation processes, operating
hours/days, etc. when answering this question.
Yes
No
N/A there is no NAHLN lab in State that performs avian influenza testing.
Don't know
Explain in the box below :
Where will testing be done in the event of an outbreak in your State if you do not have a NAHLN lab.
If testing is not available around the clock what is your plan for providing off hour or overflow testing.

* 26. Does your NAHLN diagnostic laboratory have Web-based forms that can be rapidly printed or sufficient
quantities of preprinted submission forms available in preparation for a HPAI outbreak in the fall?
Yes
No
Don't know

* 27. If APHIS created a national lab submission form for HPAI, would your State use it?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

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* 28. Participants in the State/Industry/Federal Fall Planning Meeting held June 28-29 in Riverdale, MD,
identified barcoding samples and submission forms as important for efficient operations. Is your NAHLN
laboratory using barcodes?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 28 follow-up
You answered No to: Is your NAHLN laboratory using barcodes?
Does the lab have a system in place that would allow you to rapidly implement barcodes?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Diagnostic Laboratory Preparedness - continued
* 29. Is the contact information correct in the APHIS/NVSL email group for animal health officials in your
State who receive laboratory results from NVSL?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 29 follow-up
Please Update the Contact Information for Your Animal Health Officials
Instructions for doing this were sent with the survey link.

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Depopulation, Disposal, Equipment, and Supplies
* 30. In the event of a Fall HPAI outbreak, at what capacity will your State be able todepopulate poultry of
the typical species and ages raised on the floor in your State without APHIS assistance? (check the
maximum number of birds that could be depopulated)
< 100 birds per day
< 500 birds per day
< 1,000 birds per day
< 10,000 birds per day
< 50,000 birds per day
< 100,000 birds per day
< 500,000 birds per day
< 1,000,000 birds per day
< 5,000,000 birds per day
≥ 5,000,000 birds per day
Other (please specify)

* 31. In the event of a Fall HPAI outbreak at what capacity will your State be able todepopulate poultry of
the typical species and ages raised in cages in your State without APHIS assistance in the event of a Fall
HPAI outbreak? (check the maximum number of birds that could be depopulated)
< 100 birds per day
< 500 birds per day
< 1,000 birds per day
< 10,000 birds per day
< 50,000 birds per day
< 100,000 birds per day
< 500,000 birds per day
< 1,000,000 birds per day
< 5,000,000 birds per day
≥ 5,000,000 birds per day
Other (please specify)

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* 32. Participants in the State/Industry/Federal Fall Planning Meeting identified depopulation within 24 hours
of a presumptive positive as key to minimizing disease spread and animal suffering. To achieve depopulation
within 24 hours during a large scale outbreak, shutting down ventilation systems, which would result in
hyperthermia, hypoxia, and death, would likely need to be an option for depopulating poultry.
If depopulation within 24 hours of a presumptive positive cannot be achieved using other methods, would your
State support shutting down ventilation systems as a means of depopulation, minimizing disease spread and
animal suffering?
Yes
No
I would like to have a State/APHIS call to discuss
Don't know
Comment

* 33. Approximately 10,000 to 20,000 gallons of water are required when using foam to depopulate poultry
houses holding around 10,000 birds. In one case during this summer’s HPAI response, a town ran out of
water affecting fire safety. Has your State identified sources for water and tankers for rapid deployment?
Yes

please provide specific information on the equipment spreadsheet provided.

No
Don't know

* 34. Do you have approval, or a process in place to get expedited approval, if required, from the necessary
local and/or State departments or agencies for handling the following situations potentially associated with a
HPAI outbreak?
Yes

No

Don't know

Outdoor composting,
burial, or other disposal
methods
Run off from cleaning
and disinfecting
procedures

* 35. Industry participants in the State/Industry/Federal Fall Planning Meeting requested that they be
notified of HPAI control areas and other areas that should be avoided when routing trucks, including those
areas likely to be in a control zone, based on a presumptive positive.
Do you have a plan, such as a phone recorded message or website, in place for notifying industry?
Yes
No
Don't know

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* 36. During an outbreak, it may be critical to rapidly access resources from other Departments or Agencies
within your State or within local government to obtain waste management specialists, hazardous materials
specialists, fire department personnel and tankers, State police, National Guard, etc.
Have you worked with your Secretary/Commissioner of Agriculture or others to develop a process for rapid
access to out-of-agency resources, including how such resources would be funded?
Yes
No
Don't know

* 37. Does your State have a plan for carcass disposal in the event of catastrophic poultry deaths or
depopulation? For example, disposal of half or all of your State’s poultry over 1 or 2 months.
Yes
No

please provide that plan with your completed spreadsheet and other documents
please describe any activities underway to develop such a plan in the comment field.

Don't know

Comment:

* 38. Does your State have agreements with landfills within your State to dispose of the massive amounts
of the following items that would be generated in a large HPAI outbreak: (you are required to select one
answer for each row)
If you select any Yes buttons, please provide specifics in the spreadsheet provided.
Yes

No

Don't know

HPAI infected birds
Bedding, composted birds, manure and other
organic materials form quarantined premises
PPE and similar supplies
Non-organic materials from quarantined premises

* 39. Does your State have, or can you readily get, if needed, approval for intrastate transport of:
Yes

No

Don't know

HPAI related materials to designated disposal
sites?
Overweight loads of waste associated with a HPAI
outbreak

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* 40. Does your State have agreements withneighboring State(s) to share landfills or other disposal sites?
Yes

please list the sites on the spreadsheet provided.

No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 40 follow-up
You responded Yes to question 40. Does your State have agreements with neighboring States to
share landfills or other disposal sites?
*
40a. Does your State have, or can you readily get, if needed, approval forinterstate transport of:
Yes

No

Don't know

HPAI related materials to designated disposal
sites?
Overweight loads of waste associated with a HPAI
outbreak

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Depopulation, Disposal, Equipment, and Supplies
* 41. At what capacity will your State be able to dispose of poultry of the typical species and ages found in
your State without APHIS assistance in the event of a fall HPAI outbreak? (check the maximum number of
birds for disposal)
< 100 birds per day
< 500 birds per day
< 1,000 birds per day
< 10,000 birds per day
< 50,000 birds per day
< 100,000 birds per day
< 500,000 birds per day
< 1,000,000 birds per day
< 5,000,000 birds per day
≥ 5,000,000 birds per day
Other (please specify)

42. Participants in the State/Industry/Federal Fall Planning Meeting identified that individual producer and/or
company site-specific depopulation and disposal plans were important in effectively responding to an HPAI
outbreak, particularly for large operations or unique operations such as those with game birds.
What approximate percentage of commercial game bird producers in your State have depopulation and
disposal plans? (use your best estimate)

43. What is your strategy for increasing this percentage, if needed?

* 44. What approximate percentage of large commercial operations in your State (greater than 10,000 turkey
or 100,000 chickens) have depopulation and disposal plans? (use your best estimate)

* 45. What is your strategy for increasing this percentage, if needed? (enter N/A or none if needed)

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* 46. Is your State stockpiling supplies (Tyvek suits, gloves, disinfectants, antifreeze, etc.) above normal
operating levels in preparation for a fall HPAI outbreak?
Yes
No
Don't know

* 47. If your State is stockpiling supplies, how long do you predict those supplies will last in the event of an
HPAI outbreak in the fall?
Days
Weeks
Months
Don't know
N/A

* 48. If your State is stockpiling supplies, can those supplies be shared with other States?
Yes
No
Don't know
N/A

* 49. In the event of an HPAI outbreak this fall, do you expect your State will need supplies from APHIS?
Yes
No
Don't know

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50. If your State is stockpiling supplies, please check all types of supplies being stockpiled:
Respirators (specify model(s) in comment field)
Tychem® suits
Tyvek® suits
Other PPE
Disinfectant
Foam
CO2
Cleaning agents
Other (specify in comment field)
N/A
Comment

* 51. If your State is stockpiling supplies, are your supplies monitored and rotated to ensure they have not
expired?
Yes
No
Don't know
N/A

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52. If your State will have emergency contracts in place this fall, please check all the types of supplies or
services available for rapid delivery:
Respirators (specify model(s) in comments)
Tychem® suits
Tyvek suits
Other PPE
Disinfectant
Foam
Cleaning agents
Water in tanker trucks
Carbon sources for composting
Foaming crews
Other Personnel (explain in comments)
CO2
Other (specify in comments)
N/A
Comments

* 53. Considering the substantial amount of sawdust or other carbon sources required for composting of
poultry, has your State identified sources of carbon available for use in composting?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Mapping and Data Management
* 54. Participants in the State/Industry/Federal Fall Planning Meeting identified National Premises ID (PIN) or
equivalent State location identifiers (LID) as critical for efficient operations.
Do you issue PINs or LIDs for poultry operations within your State?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Mapping and Data Management
* 55. Participants in the State/Industry/Federal Fall Planning Meeting identified pre-assignment / prepopulation of PINs in EMRS as critical to efficient reporting of test results and permits for bird movement.
Has your State participated in those activities?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Mapping and Data Management
* 56. Does your State have personnel trained and able to access and use EMRS?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Mapping and Data Management
* 57. Does your State have GIS resources that could provide support during an outbreak of HPAI?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Mapping and Data Management
* 58. Does your State currently use or have access to a database containing CAFO permits or licensing data
for poultry operations?
Yes
No
Don't know

* 59. Does your State have a complete poultry operations database?
Yes
No
Don't know

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 54 Yes follow-up
In the previous question you responded that your State issues PINs or LIDs for poultry operations.
* 54a. Approximately what percentage of your State's poultry operations have PINs or LIDs?

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 54 No Follow-up
In the previous question you responded that your State does not issue PINs or LIDs to poultry
operations.
* 54b. Do you have a plan to obtain PINs or LIDs for your poultry operations? (please describe in the field
below, use N/A or none if needed)

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 55 follow-up
Based on your response that your State has not participated in pre-assignment / pre-population of
PINs and LIDs in EMRS;
* 55a. Would you like our EMRS group to contact you to work on this?
Yes

If you would like to start promptly, please email Fred.G.Bourgeois@aphis.usda.gov

No

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 56 follow-up
You responded that your State has personnel that are trained and able to access and use EMRS.
* 56a. How many of your EMRS users would you put in each of the following categories of EMRS
expertise? (enter a number for each category)

EMRS Specialist:
Proficient:
Competent:
Need more training to use
at an acceptable level:

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 57 follow-up GIS
Based on your previous answer, your State has GIS resources that could provide support during an
outbreak of HPAI.
* 57a. How many employees comprise the GIS staff?

* 57b. Is the GIS staff located within the State animal health agency?
Yes
No (specify location)

* 57c. Would the GIS staff be able to support multiple incident command posts in your State during a largescale outbreak of HPAI?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

* 57d. Do you have printing capabilities for large maps within your agency?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

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57e. Do you have ‘real time’ mapping capability (i.e. interactive mapping programs in which points can be
plotted in the field on a tablet and are automatically, in real time, added to a database in the office that can
immediately generate maps)?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

* 57f. During a large-scale outbreak, which of the following resources would you anticipate needing help
with, beyond local or State resources? (check all that apply)
Data layer extraction or manipulation for environmental data
Data layer extraction or manipulation for landfill data
Data layer extraction or manipulation for poultry operations data
Mapping of infected flocks
Identification and/or mapping of routes for movement
No help needed
Others (please specify)

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 59 Follow-up
You responded that your State has a complete poultry operations database.
* 59a. Do you have privacy and/or confidentiality limitations regarding these data to support an outbreak
response?
Yes
No
don't know
Comment

* 59b. In light of the current HPAI outbreak and the risk for further spread in the fall, are you willing to share
data from your database with VS?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

* 59c. In light of the current HPAI outbreak and risk for further spread in the fall, can these data be
integrated into the VS EMRS system?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

35

* 59d. In light of the current outbreak of HPAI and risk for further spread in the fall, can the data from your
complete poultry operations database be used to support epidemiological analyses?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

36

Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 59 Follow-up
* 59e. If you have limitations on data sharing due to confidentiality, would you be willing to work with VS to
create a mock-up version of the data for use in disease-spread modeling and resource planning that would
approximate, but not copy, the actual population of poultry farms?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

37

Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 59d. Follow-up
You responded that data form your complete poultry operations databasecould not be currently used
for epidemiological analyses.
* 59d.i. Could the data be used to support epidemiologic investigations once a case of HPAI has been
detected in your State?
Yes
No
Don't know

Comment

38

Fall HPAI Planning Survey
Question 59e. Follow-up
You responded that your data could not be used to support epidemiologic investigations once a case
of HPAI has been detected in your State.
* 59e.i. Would your State be willing to share basic descriptive information about your dataset (number of
farms, proportion of farms in each production type, ranges in farm size by production type)?
Yes
No
Don't know
Comment

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Fall HPAI Planning Survey
End of Survey
Thank you for completing this survey and helping all of us reach a higher level of preparation for a
potential fall HPAI outbreak.
Please remember to complete the spreadsheet associated with this survey and provide the requested
supporting documents to vs.sprs.feedback@aphis.usda.gov .

If you have questions please contact Diane Sutton at 301-851-3509 or
Diane.L.Sutton@aphis.usda.gov.

40