Bird Flu Epidemic Requires Intervention
With avian flu wiping out chicken populations and driving up egg prices, people have been struggling for solutions. US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr has suggested that instead of culling birds that are affected, farmers should consider letting the disease run through the flock to identify and preserve birds that are immune to it.
Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain emphasizes the terrible impact that would have on the industry thusly: “There might be two chickens left when it’s over.”
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Ag Commissioner Mike Strain Suggests Importing Eggs to Lower Prices
There isn't anybody who's been in the grocery store in the past few months that hasn't dealt with the exorbitant cost of eggs. Or maybe it's the 'eggsorbitant' cost of eggs. Sorry, trying to inject a little humor into a basically humorless situation.
But the crisis hasn't gone unnoticed by Louisiana state officials. Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain recently met with Brooke Rollins, Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, about how to get a handle on egg prices, and what to do about the effects of Bird Influenza.
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Louisiana Commercial Poultry Untouched by Bird Flu, Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain Says
As the nation combats high egg prices due to viral chicken deaths, Louisiana officials say the state's poultry farmers remain unaffected. The virus is in the state, killing wild bird populations. The key, experts say, may be Louisiana cattle.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is spending $1 billion in a five-pronged approach to combat this year's predicted 40% increase in egg prices.
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USDA Invests Up To $1 Billion to Combat Avian Flu and Reduce Egg Prices
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced a $1 billion-dollar comprehensive strategy to curb highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), protect the U.S. poultry industry, and lower egg prices. This is in addition to funding already being provided to indemnify growers for depopulated flocks.
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Poultry Researcher Brings Unique Perspective During Anxious Times
With H5N1, also known as avian influenza or bird flu, on the rise a recent LSU AgCenter hire is bringing a set of skills to his research seldom seen in the field of poultry science — a mechanical engineering degree.
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Company Says it Received Conditional Approval for Bird Flu Vaccine from US Department of Agriculture
The US Department of Agriculture last week issued a conditional license for an avian flu vaccine for use in chickens, amid an outbreak ravaging poultry flocks, contributing to the sky-high price of eggs.
Zoetis, the manufacturer behind the vaccine, announced the conditional approval Friday, saying in a news release its scientists had begun updating its existing avian flu vaccine in 2022.
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Louisiana Farmers Work To Fill Gap As Egg Prices Go Up Across The US
Across the nation, bird flu is destroying flocks and creating egg shortages. In Southeast Louisiana, farmers are filling that poultry gap.
Kickn' Chickn' Farm is a homestead in Zachary that sells eggs. Over the past three weeks, Owners Chris and Nicole Young said business has grown and now the farm has backorders for all the eggs demanded.
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Tournament Rule Provides More Transparency for America’s Farmers
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the final USDA poultry tournament rule under the Packers & Stockyards Act.
“Farm Bureau appreciates USDA’s commitment to bringing greater fairness to farmers who raise poultry under the tournament system.”
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SWLA Resident with Nation’s First Severe Bird Flu Case Dies
The Southwest Louisiana resident who had the nation’s first severe case of bird flu has died, health officials announced Monday.
This is the first human death related to bird flu in the country.
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Avian Influenza Detected In Second Louisiana Backyard Flock
On December 13, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced the detection of the first presumptive positive human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in Louisiana. Following a report of increased mortality in the non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) on the property in southwest Louisiana, testing by Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (LADDL) has detected highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the flock.
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Bird Flu Found in SWLA Backyard Flock After Person Hospitalized
Bird flu has been detected in a backyard flock in Southwest Louisiana after a person exposed to the flock tested positive for the illness.
The SWLA resident was the first person in the state diagnosed with H5N1 and became the first person in the U.S. with a severe case of the disease in the current outbreak. They are hospitalized in Louisiana in critical condition, health officials said Wednesday.
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Avian Influenza Found in Louisiana Backyard Flock; Producers Urged to Take Precautions
Testing has confirmed a case of avian influenza in a backyard flock in Bossier Parish, Louisiana. The backyard flock owner alerted the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry of increased mortality in the backyard flock. Following an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry).
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Louisiana Farmer Designs Self-Driving Chicken Coop
A farmer in Sunset, Louisiana has designed and constructed a solar-powered and self-driving chicken coop.
KLFY News 10 recently featured this amazing design on a newscast, and now the chicken coop from Guidry Organic Farms LLC has caught the attention of so many.
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USDA Takes Step Toward Fairness for Poultry Farmers
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on USDA’s proposed rule to make changes to the poultry tournament system.
“Farm Bureau appreciates USDA’s work to bring more transparency to the poultry industry. AFBF has long advocated for changes to ensure poultry farmers who contract with processing companies are treated fairly, and we’re glad to see many of our concerns addressed in the new rule.”
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USDA Proposes Next Steps to Promote Fairer Poultry Markets, Protect Producers, and Enhance Transparency
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced next steps it is proposing to address the many, complex competition issues in agricultural markets and create a fairer playing field for poultry growers and farmers. USDA is proposing the rule Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems, to address a range of abuses that have occurred in relation to grower ranking (commonly known as “tournament”) payment systems and additional capital investment requirements that poultry companies commonly ask of their contract growers for broiler chicken.
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