New Zealand Launches $1.5m Grant to Prepare Farms for Bird Flu

H5 bird flu has spread widely overseas and remains a serious concern for poultry industries in many countries, making prevention an important part of New Zealand's approach.

The New Zealand Government has launched a $1.5 million Poultry Biosecurity Grant designed to help small and medium-sized poultry producers strengthen their farms against the possible arrival of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza in commercial flocks. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said the funding will help operators make practical changes that reduce disease risks while protecting jobs, farming businesses and the country's domestic food supply.

H5 bird flu has spread widely overseas and remains a serious concern for poultry industries in many countries, making prevention an important part of New Zealand's approach. The grant focuses on improvements that farmers can put in place before an outbreak occurs, giving eligible businesses financial support to strengthen physical infrastructure, farm access procedures and hygiene systems.

Farmers can receive up to $25,000

Eligible poultry producers can have up to 50 percent of approved costs reimbursed through the scheme, with funding capped at $25,000 for each recipient. Support can be used for measures such as infrastructure improvements, tighter access controls, bird-proofing work and better cleaning and disinfection facilities, all of which can reduce opportunities for the virus to enter a farm or spread between birds.

The programme is aimed at small and medium-sized poultry businesses with fewer than 100,000 birds. Operators can also use up to $3,000 of their grant funding to receive assistance with developing the biosecurity plans that will be required under new regulations.

The Government developed the grant in partnership with the poultry industry, adding financial assistance to preparedness work already taking place across the sector. Hoggard described strong on-farm biosecurity as one of New Zealand's most important defences against H5 bird flu, particularly given the economic and food production consequences that an outbreak in commercial poultry could bring.

New biosecurity rules are coming this year

The funding will also help poultry businesses prepare for new biosecurity regulations announced by the Government in July. Those rules are expected to come into force by the end of 2026 and are intended to raise on-farm preparedness across the sector, giving producers clearer measures for protecting their birds and limiting disease transmission.

For smaller operators, meeting new requirements can involve costs that are difficult to absorb at once, especially where farms need changes to buildings, barriers, sanitation facilities or access arrangements. Covering half of eligible expenditure through the grant could make those improvements more manageable while encouraging producers to complete work before the regulations take effect.

Biosecurity planning is another part of that preparation because farms need procedures for controlling visitors, equipment and other possible pathways through which disease could spread. A well-developed plan can also help operators respond more quickly if suspicious illness or unusual bird deaths are detected.

New Zealand remains free of H5 in poultry

New Zealand has recorded two confirmed H5 bird flu detections, with no further detections reported since 17 July 2026. Authorities say there is currently no evidence of mass mortality among wildlife and no H5 detections have been recorded in commercial poultry, meaning the latest initiative is focused on preparedness rather than responding to an outbreak within the poultry industry.

The overseas spread of H5 still presents a significant risk because an introduction into commercial farms could affect poultry production, individual businesses and the wider economy. Keeping the virus away from farmed birds depends heavily on reducing opportunities for contact with potential sources of infection and maintaining effective hygiene practices around poultry facilities.

Applications for the Poultry Biosecurity Grant are open until 30 September 2026. Poultry operators can find eligibility guidance, application materials and further details through New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries, with the Government encouraging eligible producers to use the funding to strengthen their defences before the new regulations take effect.