RESOLUTION 1

Whereas there have been recent outbreaks of reportable
diseases such as Exotic Newcastle Disease (ENC) and Avian Influenza
(AI) in the United States, and

Whereas the Connecticut Poultry Association (CPA) supports the
reporting of certain avian diseases by veterinarians and the Connecticut
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (CVDL) at the University of
Connecticut (UConn) to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture
(DOA), and

Whereas the CPA recognizes that the reporting of these diseases
may result in a negative impact on the viability of a poultry operation,

Be it resolved that the CPA supports the cooperative resolution of
issues relative to reportable poultry diseases between the
producer/owner, the CVDL and the DOA to assure the protection of
human and animal health.

RESOLUTION 2

Whereas the CVDL at the University of Connecticut serves a
critical role in animal and poultry disease surveillance, and

Whereas effective disease surveillance is critical to human and
animal disease prevention and control, and

Whereas surveillance is critical in the detection of emerging
diseases, and

Whereas diseases may be introduced into animal populations via
natural or intentional means, and

Whereas these diseases in animal populations may affect human
health, and

Whereas surveillance and early detection of animal and poultry
diseases are critical to assuring a safe and adequate food supply,

Be it resolved that the CPA supports an increase in funding and
staff for the CVDL at UConn, and

Be it further resolved that the CPA supports funding for free
diagnostic services for poultry on small farms.

RESOLUTION 3

Whereas there is a great amount of interstate commerce of live
poultry in the North Atlantic states of New England, New York,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West
Virginia, and

Whereas each state requires special permits for the transport of
said poultry across their state lines, and

Whereas this impedes the timely movement of live poultry within
the North Atlantic Region, and

Whereas the purpose of the federally approved National Poultry
Improvement Program (NPIP) to ensure movement of healthy poultry
within the United States,

Now, be it resolved that the NPIP permit be accepted by all
contiguous North Atlantic states for the movement of live poultry without
further special permitting by each state.

RESOLUTION 4

Whereas actively operating agricultural enterprises contribute to
the economic base of the state of Connecticut by providing employment,
tax revenue, agricultural products and value-added products, and

Whereas agriculture supports many allied industries, and

Whereas agriculture preserves the environmental quality and
rural character of the landscape, which is important to the quality of life
for Connecticut citizens, and which encourages tourism, and

Whereas agriculture provides critical habitat and food for wildlife, and

Whereas agriculture provides fresh, locally grown, high quality
food and fiber products for domestic and export sales,

Be it resolved that the CPA supports the socioeconomic
conditions that will promote and maintain viable poultry and animal
agriculture within Connecticut and the preservation of adequate,
productive farmland which is vital for its success, and

Be it further resolved that the CPA maintains that the Connecticut
Right-to-Farm Law supercedes any and all conflicting ordinances, laws
and regulations.

RESOLUTION 5

Whereas the CPA exists for the purpose of advocating for the
interests of Connecticut poultry men and poultry women, and

Whereas there is a growing regional consumer and restaurant
demand for poultry food products produced from chickens, turkeys,
ducks, and other fowl reared on well-managed pasture and direct-
marketed from the producing farms, and

Whereas within Connecticut there are many small farms with
pasture situation within convenient traveling distance from population
centers containing these markets, and

Whereas there are farmers poised to produce for this market, and

Whereas the regulatory environment in Connecticut is restrictive
of this production model, compared with the regulatory environment in
many other states, to the point that the industry's growth is greatly
hampered in Connecticut, and

Whereas the pastured poultry industry is growing successfully in
other states, and that pastured poultry has been called the most
important crop to save the small family farm and has the potential to be
the centerpiece of income for Connecticut small farmers,

Therefore, be it resolved that the CPA calls upon the Connecticut
State Legislature to advocate legislation that will vitalize the pastured
poultry industry in Connecticut with changes that support passage of
legislation that will permit on-farm processing of poultry under the
auspices of the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS), thereby enabling farmers to process up to
20,000 birds per year for in-state sales, without additional Connecticut
regulation.

RESOLUTION 6

Whereas organic agricultural waste and bi-product management
are major concerns of agricultural enterprises, and

Whereas composting has become an acceptable method for
handling these organic agricultural waste and/or bi-products,

Therefore, be it resolved that any enterprise involved in the
composting of these organic agricultural waste and/or bi-products should
be considered an agricultural enterprise and be accorded all the legal
rights and privileges of all existing farm enterprises.

RESOLUTION 7

Whereas the poultry industry in Connecticut is a distinct
agricultural enterprise with its own set of special needs that requires
oversight as skilled agricultural specialists that understand these needs,

Therefore, the CPA supports the need for the Connecticut
Department of Agriculture to remain as a separate cabinet level for the
state of Connecticut.


RESOLUTION 8

Whereas the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension
System has worked closely with the Connecticut Poultry industry through
its health and management specialists, and

Whereas the poultry industry in Connecticut has benefited
economically through its association with the Cooperative Extension
System, and

Whereas this economic benefit to poultry farmers has resulted in
increased benefits to all citizens in the state, and

Whereas the Cooperative Extension System promotes poultry
education of youth which benefits all citizens in the state, and

Whereas this association between the Cooperative Extension
System and the poultry industry has resulted in economic benefits to the
poultry industry and allied industries in Connecticut,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Connecticut Poultry Association
supports increased funding for UConn's Cooperative Extension System
to carry out educational programs for poultry in the state of Connecticut.

Resolutions Committee

Gary Proctor, Chairperson GKP Enterprises, Gourm Avian Farms, Bolton

Donald Bourdeau Bourdeau's Pheasant Farm, Salem

Morris Burr Burr Farm, Inc., Hampton

Dr. Michael Darre UConn Cooperative Extension, Storrs

Bud Gavitt UConn Extension Editor, Retired

Dr. Mazhar Khan UConn Cooperative Extension, Storrs

Larry Lombard Central Connecticut Farmers Co-op.

Frank Manfreda, Jr. Manfreda Farms, Windham

James Rock UConn Extension Educator, Emeritus, Norwich