Texas has agreed to cut restrictions on poultry shipments entering the state from Pennsylvania.

The decision came out of a productive call Thursday between the state veterinarians of the two states, said Chrislyn Wood, a USDA veterinarian based in Pennsylvania who participated in the discussion. Mine Equipment

Last week Texas began requiring shipments of live birds and poultry equipment from Pennsylvania to receive approval from Texas animal health officials before entering the state. The move was a response to recent avian influenza outbreaks on Pennsylvania farms.

Instead of covering the entire state, the restrictions will now be limited to the 10-kilometer control areas around infected farms.

“That’s good news and something that we’re looking forward to,” Wood said in an industry call Friday.

Texas rejected 34 Pennsylvania shipments from March 23 to 30, Wood said.

Ohio has imposed a 21-day ban on Pennsylvania mail-order chicks for backyard producers, with commercial farms unaffected. Florida briefly imposed restrictions on a few Pennsylvania hatcheries, which have since satisfied the state’s concerns.

For background on avian influenza, and numbers to call to report an outbreak, go  here.

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Poultry Equipment Phil Gruber is the news editor at Lancaster Farming. He can be reached at 717-721-4427 or pgruber@lancasterfarming.com. Follow him @PhilLancFarming on Twitter.