The move marks a departure from the long-standing disease control approach that relied heavily on the mass culling of infected and exposed birds, a strategy that has been blamed for substantial financial losses in the poultry sector and higher food prices for consumers.
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South Africa’s poultry industry is set for a significant policy shift after Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen announced plans to amend animal disease regulations to allow the use of vaccines against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu.
The move marks a departure from the long-standing disease control approach that relied heavily on the mass culling of infected and exposed birds, a strategy that has been blamed for substantial financial losses in the poultry sector and higher food prices for consumers.
In a statement on Wednesday, Steenhuisen said the decision followed a formal objection lodged by the South African Poultry Association under the Animal Diseases Act.
The association argued that existing regulations had left producers without practical and affordable options to manage recurring bird flu outbreaks and had forced them into costly destruction of poultry flocks.
Steenhuisen said he had reviewed the findings of a Section 23 Investigation Committee and accepted its recommendations to introduce a more sustainable approach to controlling the disease.
“Our poultry farmers need direct support, and we are changing policy to give them a legal mechanism to protect their livelihoods,” Steenhuisen said.
He added that the existing regulatory framework had compelled producers to destroy both healthy and infected birds during outbreaks, harming agricultural businesses and placing upward pressure on food prices.
“By changing this policy, we are giving producers the legal right to use verified scientific tools to protect their farms, protect agricultural jobs and secure affordable food for the public,” he said.
The new policy will formalise an HPAI vaccination framework under the Animal Diseases Act, enabling poultry producers to use vaccines as part of a broader disease management strategy.
Farmers will be required to combine vaccination programmes with enhanced biosecurity measures and testing protocols to prevent and contain outbreaks.
Industry stakeholders have long argued that vaccination is a more effective and economically viable option than large-scale culling, particularly after devastating outbreaks in recent years that disrupted poultry production and contributed to shortages of chicken and eggs.
The department said the new framework would reduce the need for widespread destruction of birds while strengthening efforts to eradicate the disease.
The department will either amend the Animal Diseases Regulations or introduce formal control measures under Section 9 of the Act to provide a clear legal framework governing outbreak management.
According to the department, the changes are intended to eliminate inconsistencies in enforcement that have created confusion within the industry and undermined disease-control efforts.
The revised approach is expected to benefit both large commercial producers and smaller poultry farmers by providing a more balanced and practical system for responding to outbreaks.
The department said the regulations would create space for producers of varying sizes to implement effective disease management measures while maintaining compliance with national animal health requirements.
Under the new framework, the Department of Agriculture will focus on overseeing national surveillance systems, laboratory testing and regulatory compliance.
The department will also continue working to ensure that South Africa meets international animal health and trade standards, a key consideration for export markets.
Maintaining market access remains a critical priority for the sector, which contributes billions of rand to the economy and supports thousands of jobs across farming, processing and distribution value chains.
Steenhuisen has instructed the department to introduce interim control measures while the policy changes are being formalised through the necessary statutory processes. He has also set a deadline for the publication of the required government gazette to ensure an orderly transition.
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