Bird Flu in Australia: What Does It Mean for the Food Processing Industry?

Bird flu has arrived in Australia – and while the virus has not yet been detected in commercial poultry, the situation is developing rapidly.

Since the first detections of H5 bird flu in Australian wild birds earlier this year, cases have continued to increase across several states. As of 8 August, Australian authorities had recorded 231 confirmed or presumed-positive detections, including a growing number of cases in South Australia and Victoria. Importantly, there are still no confirmed detections in poultry or the wider agricultural production system. 

For the Australian food processing industry, the immediate concern isn't simply the virus itself. It's the potential disruption to poultry supply chains, production sites, staff movements and biosecurity procedures if the virus enters commercial operations.

And some businesses are already taking precautions.

You don't need to have an outbreak at your site to be affected by biosecurity measures.

When the risk increases, businesses may need to restrict site access, increase cleaning and disinfection, control movement between areas and strengthen PPE requirements.

And that means being prepared before those measures become necessary.

What is H5 bird flu?

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a viral disease that primarily affects birds.

The current Australian concern is H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, a strain that has caused significant outbreaks and mass mortality in poultry and wild birds overseas. Australia detected this strain in wild seabirds in June 2026. 

The Australian Government currently considers the risk to human health to be low, and there is no evidence of this strain spreading between people in Australia. 

For food manufacturers, however, the bigger immediate consideration is biosecurity and business continuity.

Why should food processors care?

A bird flu outbreak in commercial poultry could have consequences well beyond the farm.

Poultry processors, food manufacturers, cold storage facilities, transport operators and other businesses throughout the supply chain may need to respond to:

  • Increased biosecurity requirements

  • Restricted site access

  • Additional cleaning and sanitation

  • Changes to staff movement 

  • Increased PPE requirements

  • Potential supply interruptions

  • Increased demand for hygiene and protective equipment

  • Additional controls around vehicles, footwear and equipment

  • Bird flu can spread through infected birds and contaminated environments, as well as through contaminated clothing, footwear, vehicles and equipment. 

That makes the movement of people and equipment around a food processing facility particularly important.

A practical biosecurity checklist for food manufacturers

Now is a good time for food processing businesses to review their existing biosecurity procedures and stock levels.

Consider reviewing:

✓ Site entry points
Are footwear and clothing controls appropriate for the level of risk?

✓ Boot sanitation
Do you have sufficient boot dip mats, stations or other footwear sanitation controls?

✓ Protective clothing
Do you have enough coveralls, disposable clothing and other PPE to respond to an increase in requirements?

✓ Gumboots and footwear
Are dedicated production-area gumboots available, and are replacement pairs readily accessible?

✓ Gloves
Do you have sufficient stock of the gloves required across your production areas?

✓ Hand hygiene
Are handwashing and sanitising stations adequately stocked?

✓ Cleaning equipment
Are cleaning tools available and appropriately segregated between production areas?

✓ Emergency stock
Could you maintain operations if your normal PPE consumption suddenly increased?

✓ Supplier continuity
Can your suppliers provide the products you need when demand increases?


Preparedness protects production

Australia has extensive experience responding to animal disease outbreaks, and the industry has been preparing for the possibility of H5 bird flu reaching Australia.

But the increasing number of detections in wild birds demonstrates why biosecurity cannot be treated as a once-off exercise.

The Australian Government has stressed the importance of effective on-farm biosecurity and hygiene, including controlling potential transmission through clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles. 

For food manufacturers, that means looking beyond the immediate production floor and reviewing current bio-security procedures.

Stay prepared. Protect your people. Protect your production.

For Australian food manufacturers, Foodcare can help supply the PPE, gumboots, protective clothing, cleaning equipment, hand hygiene products and biosecurity consumables needed to support strong site hygiene and preparedness.

Don't wait until you need it urgently.

Sources & further information:

Australian Government – Bird flu (Avian influenza) 
Australian Government – H5 bird flu updates 
Food Standards Australia New Zealand – Bird flu and food safety 
Australian Government Department of Health – Bird flu