# Socio-Psychological and External Factors Influencing Biosecurity Compliance in U.S. Poultry Farming

## TL;DR

This study explores why U.S. poultry farmers follow or neglect biosecurity practices, finding that perceived risk and information sources strongly influence compliance.

## Contribution

The study identifies socio-psychological and contextual factors influencing biosecurity compliance in U.S. poultry farming using logistic regression analysis.

## Key findings

- Farmers who perceive high disease outbreak impact are more likely to follow strict biosecurity measures (OR = 0.19).
- Certain practices like limiting contact with wild birds are less commonly adopted, possibly due to operational challenges.
- Farmers use diverse information sources, suggesting tailored communication strategies could improve compliance.

## Abstract

Protecting poultry farms from disease outbreaks is essential to safeguard animal health, public health, and farmers’ livelihoods. This study explored the factors influencing U.S. poultry farmers to follow disease prevention recommendations. We found that farmers who perceive a disease outbreak as a serious threat to their farm’s finances or reputation are more likely to adopt strong preventive measures, while those who do not see them as significant threats tend to be less strict. While overall compliance with disease prevention measures was high, some measures, such as preventing contact between farm birds and wild birds, were less commonly adopted. This may reflect operational challenges or limited understanding of their importance and implementation. Farmers form their opinions about disease risks in different ways, some rely on their experience or self-initiated research utilizing official and industry sources, while others seek guidance from advisors. To improve disease prevention, it is crucial for farmers to comprehend both the risks and potential impacts of diseases. Supplying tailored information that addresses their specific needs can enhance their understanding. By recognizing these factors, more effective disease communication programs can be developed, helping reduce the spread of poultry diseases and provide better support for farmers and the wider community.

Understanding why poultry farmers follow or neglect biosecurity practices is key to improving communication about the control of infectious and notifiable diseases like avian influenza. This study explored how socio-psychological, demographic, and contextual factors influence biosecurity compliance among U.S. poultry farmers. A questionnaire distributed at a poultry industry event yielded 67 responses from farmers, which were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression with backward elimination. The predictors of high biosecurity tested included perceived outbreak impact, farming experience, and reliance on different information sources to form opinions on disease control. The final model showed that farmers who perceived that a disease outbreak would have a low impact were significantly less likely to follow strict biosecurity measures than those perceiving a higher impact (OR = 0.19, 95% CI [0.036, 0.925]). While compliance with biosecurity was high for most participants, certain practices, such as limiting flock outdoor access or contact with wild birds, were less commonly applied. Further research is needed to identify neglected biosecurity practices and the barriers to their implementation. Notable variations in farmers’ engagement with information sources suggest that communication strategies should involve trusted intermediaries to enhance risk awareness and biosecurity implementation support.