Bird Flu Ravages US Poultry Industry, Leading to Record Egg Prices and a State of Emergency

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Bird Flu Ravages US Poultry Industry, Leading to Record Egg Prices and a State of Emergency
BIRD FLUEGG PRICESUSDA

A highly contagious strain of bird flu is sweeping through the United States, decimating egg-laying chicken populations and causing a surge in egg prices. This winter's outbreak has been particularly severe, spilling over into dairy herds and prompting California to declare a state of emergency.

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The United States is facing its worst bird flu outbreak yet, with over 20 million egg-laying chickens dying last quarter alone. This devastating toll on America's egg supply, driven by the highly contagious avian influenza virus, has led to record-high egg prices. The USDA reports that unlike previous years, all major egg production systems – conventional caged, cage-free, and certified organic – have experienced significant losses.

The virus spreads rapidly among poultry, and with migrating wild birds acting as carriers, the winter months typically see an increase in cases. Lower temperatures and reduced sunlight make it easier for the virus to survive on surfaces. This year's outbreak has been particularly severe due to a new strain of the virus that has spilled over into dairy herds, infecting hundreds of farms across the country. Authorities suspect the virus is spreading through contaminated raw milk transported between farms by workers' clothing, equipment, and shared animals.California has been hit especially hard, prompting the state to declare a state of emergency to combat the outbreak. While millions of poultry have perished, the CDC has only reported 66 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S. Most cases have been mild and involved farm workers who had close contact with infected animals. Researchers believe this strain has mutated to be less severe in humans compared to other circulating variants. The USDA is preparing a new stockpile of poultry vaccines targeting the D1.1 strain, which has been responsible for recent cases in both wild birds and humans. However, the vaccine is unlikely to be widely used due to concerns about export restrictions and the potential for masking symptoms in birds. The USDA is also exploring the possibility of vaccinating cows for bird flu, which it believes is more feasible and could effectively curb the virus's spread. Seven potential vaccines are currently undergoing field safety trials. A major challenge has been the fear that vaccinating poultry could lead to export bans from countries worried about the virus spreading through imported poultry products. The outbreak has already resulted in the spread of the virus through contaminated meat, with raw pet food linked to outbreaks in cats. The FDA is urging the animal food supply chain to implement measures to prevent further transmission, including heat treatment to kill the virus and avoiding the use of infected animals

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