bird flu

Highly Pathogenetic Avian Influenza has been on the minds of backyard poultry owners, as well as large scale operations since late 2022.  Dr. Amber Itle, Washington state Veterinarian said it’s very normal for these influenza viruses to circulate.  But what she ...

Three of California’s dairy farms report cattle infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. According to Wisconsin State Farmer the top milk-producing state in the county becomes the 14th to report bird flu in cattle. More than 190 herds have been infected across the nation since March. Federal d...

Who, if anyone, is to blame for high egg prices?  USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam said egg production is down from last year, supplies are tight, and you can thank avian influenza for that.  The bird flu has cost the United States millions of egg laying hens.  The flock as of t...

Can you get sticker shock while shopping for eggs?  Many consumers say in this economy, yes.  USDA  livestock analyst s Shayle Shagam said this week, his department saw a big run up in both retail and wholesale prices for eggs.   “Supplies of eg...

Make sure you're not eating these eggs!

During a recent Senate Ag committee hearing where bird flu took center stage, USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture Jenny Moffitt told lawmakers the Department is acting very quickly to address any and all outbreaks, regardless of where they occur across the country...

Authorities say there is a very low risk to humans

A group of Senators is urging the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to take swift action to address the ongoing avian influenza outbreak.  The lawmakers recently asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to quickly use funds provided by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2023 Agriculture Appropriations bill.   Led by...

A U.S. farm group is asking the Federal Trade Commission to look into the high prices of eggs and possible price gouging.  Farm Action is a farmer-led advocacy organization that sent a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan to share their concerns over “apparent price gouging.”  They point o...

According to USDA, wholesale egg prices are coming down a bit, but U.S. egg production continues to run below a year ago.  USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam looked back on last month’s numbers.   “During December we produced about 652 million dozen which was about 6.6% below a year ago," Shag...