A presenter for state agriculture officials told a South Carolina Senate committee that recent high‑path avian influenza outbreaks have required depopulation of infected flocks and will create months-to-years delays before affected egg-laying operations can resume full production.

The presenter said repopulation of egg‑layer facilities can be lengthy: "90 days," he said when asked about the minimum lag to begin reducing retail prices, and later explained that some facilities may take up to three years to fully restock. The presenter noted the scale of commercial operations — "1 to 6,000,000 birds" in some complexes — as a factor that lengthens downtime for cleaning, disinfection and restocking.

The committee was told the virus has become geographically widespread and persistent. The presenter said the current strain has circulated in Europe and Asia for several years and is now endemic in wildlife, with migratory birds bringing new variations into North America via Canada and Alaska. "Wild birds ... keep picking up the viruses," the presenter said, adding that scientists in Europe warned this fall and spring could be severe.

On transmission, the presenter described multiple routes: respiratory and fecal‑oral spread among birds, and contamination of feed and water. In response to a senator’s question about risk to backyard flocks, the presenter said biosecurity measures — keeping birds separated from wild ducks and geese, cleaning boots and equipment, and protecting feed from rodents — reduce risk. He told senators that in South Carolina most positive detections to date were in backyard flocks; the state has recorded five cases, four in backyard flocks and one in a small commercial flock.

The briefing also covered dairy surveillance. The presenter said a USDA‑funded sampling program collected bulk milk‑tank samples weekly from about 25 dairies; the first three weekly rounds and a follow‑up monthly round returned negative results. He said the state plans to request that USDA allow moving to quarterly testing and to seek designation for South Carolina as free of high‑path avian influenza in dairy operations for trade purposes. The presenter also noted pasteurization kills the virus and said that, when dairy cattle are affected, milk production drops in infected animals.

Committee members asked about protective equipment for workers. The presenter said N95 respirators are appropriate for depopulation work; surgical or cloth masks provide less protection. Senators also pressed presenters on staffing and federal support; the presenter warned USDA veterinary services workforce reductions could leave states to cover more of the response and said the state plans to request additional regulatory personnel.

The session closed with presenters urging support for public‑health and veterinary workforce capacity and saying vaccine strategies remain under evaluation because vaccines can complicate surveillance and trade. The presenters did not announce any new regulatory action from the committee during the briefing.

The committee discussion included technical questions from multiple senators and practical advice for small flock owners living near waterfowl habitat: keep birds contained, maintain cleaning protocols and seek guidance if they suspect infection.