UNITED STATES NEWS

The Bird flu outbreak isn’t over, but it’s less severe, helping egg and poultry prices recover

Nov 14, 2023, 12:41 PM

FILE- Turkeys stand in a barn on a farm near Manson, Iowa, Aug. 10, 2015. Nearly 5 million chicken,...

FILE- Turkeys stand in a barn on a farm near Manson, Iowa, Aug. 10, 2015. Nearly 5 million chicken, turkeys and ducks have been slaughtered this year because of a persistent bird flu outbreak that began in 2022, but as big as that number may sound, it’s far less than the number of birds killed last year and that means consumers generally aren’t seeing as much impact on poultry and egg prices. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nearly 5 million chickens, turkeys and other birds have been slaughtered this year because of a persistent bird flu outbreak that began in 2022, but as big as that number may sound, it’s far less than the number of birds killed last year which means consumers aren’t seeing as much impact on poultry and egg prices.

The 4.6 million birds killed this year compares to the nearly 58 million birds the U.S. Department of Agriculture survive through the summers, and poultry will likely always be at risk of the disease.

The key problem with bird flu is that the highly contagious virus is spread easily by wild birds through droppings and nasal discharges, and it mutates over time. Despite the best efforts of farmers, it is hard to keep the virus out.

“The industry is definitely on really high alert,” said veterinarian Denise Heard with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association trade group.

As geese and ducks have started to head south for the winter, cases of bird flu have predictably begun popping up primarily at farms in Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota along one of the major flyways for migrating birds. Most of those cases involve only tens of thousands of birds, but 1.2 million birds at one Iowa egg farm and another 940,000 chickens at one Minnesota egg farm had to be slaughtered last week after the disease was found.

Still, only a small portion of the total flock nationwide has been affected this year, allowing prices to fall closer to where they were before the outbreak began.

Egg prices peaked at a nationwide average of $4.82 per dozen in January — more than double the $1.93 per dozen charged a year earlier before the first bird flu case was confirmed in Indiana in February of 2022. They remained at $2.07 per dozen last month, according to new numbers released Tuesday.

Turkey and chicken prices also spiked over the past two years, but bird flu wasn’t the only factor as feed, fuel and labor costs also soared as part of the widespread inflation that weighed on the entire economy.

The average price per pound of a whole chicken has climbed pretty steadily since it was at $1.62 in January 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics latest consumer price data. But it was only at $1.93 per pound in October, up from $1.86 a year ago. Chickens raised for meat haven’t been hit as hard by bird flu because that industry is focused in the southeast where there haven’t been as many cases, and because those chickens don’t live as long before they’re killed for meat so there’s less chance of infection.

Retail turkey prices aren’t tracked the same way, but USDA reports show that wholesale frozen turkey prices averaged $1.15 per pound in October, down from last year’s $1.79 per pound and the previous year’s $1.35 per pound. And many of this year’s turkeys are already in cold storage, so even if more turkey farms get hit by the virus the current holiday supply won’t be affected.

Plus, as the National Turkey Federation trade group points out, many retailers like to discount turkey prices heavily in the hopes that consumers will buy the rest of their Thanksgiving fixings at their stores, so consumers might find even lower prices.

“We’re in a really good spot for Thanksgiving turkeys,” said Jada Thompson, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. “I think there should be a lot of relief coming in the holiday season.”

A combination of factors contributed to the sharp drop in bird flu cases this year. Perhaps the most important is that the number of virus cases the USDA has been finding among wild birds has dropped precipitously, suggesting that some ducks and geese may be developing immunity. But farmers also redoubled efforts to keep the virus from infecting their flocks by tightening up biosecurity practices.

Farmers have gone to great lengths by requiring workers to shower and change clothes before entering barns, sanitizing trucks that enter a farm and investing in separate sets of tools for every barn. Some farms have even upgraded barn ventilation and installed laser systems to discourage wild birds from congregating.

“The biggest thing, of course, that we would stress from here is biosecurity, biosecurity, biosecurity,” Heard said.

The USDA says the response to the outbreak has cost the government $757 million so far with most of that going to compensate farmers who have to destroy their flocks. Agriculture economists estimate that the industry has also suffered at least another $1 billion in damages from lost sales and other costs though the total cost to the industry hasn’t been tallied up.

This outbreak is more widespread than the last big one in 2015 that killed about 50 million chickens and turkeys in 15 states, but it remains less costly as the industry and government apply the lessons learned from that experience.

Officials say bird flu doesn’t represent a significant health threat. Human cases are extremely rare and none of the infected birds are allowed into the nation’s food supply. Properly cooking poultry and eggs to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (73.89 degrees Celsius) will also kill any viruses.

Bird flu vaccines are being developed and might help in the future, but at this point they remain impractical. Export markets might not accept vaccinated birds, every bird would have to get shots individually and costly testing would be needed.

“It’s not economically feasible right now. And not just from the trade aspects, but just for the whole administration of it to the surveillance of it and the cost of all of that,” said John Clifford, who advises the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council on trade issues as the former chief veterinary officer for the United States.

United States News

Associated Press

Downpours, high winds prompt weather warnings in Northeast

NEW YORK (AP) — Parts of the northeast were bracing for a stormy night Sunday, with high winds and heavy rains bringing threats of flooding and power outages through the Monday morning commute. Flood watches were in effect in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and southern New England through Monday. The National Weather Service said […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Woman arrested after driving her vehicle through a religious group on a sidewalk, Montana police say

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A woman has been arrested after she drove her vehicle several times at or through an unspecified religious group gathered on a sidewalk, hitting and injuring one man, Montana police said Sunday. Genevienne Rancuret, 55, was pulled over by police in Billings on Saturday a few hours after the episode and […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Students and lawmakers gather at Philadelphia temple to denounce antisemitism

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Students, lawmakers and religious leaders joined forces Sunday at a temple in Philadelphia to strongly denounce antisemitism on college campuses and in their communities. The gathering at Congregation Rodeph Shalom came one day after University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned amid criticism over her testimony at a congressional hearing. Magill was […]

3 hours ago

Associated Press

Illinois man who confessed to 2004 sexual assault and murder of 3-year-old girl dies in prison

CHICAGO (AP) — A man who confessed to the 2004 sexual assault and murder of a 3-year-old Illinois girl has died in a state prison, according to state records. Scott Eby, 52, an inmate at the Menard Correctional Center, died Thursday, according to an online inmate notification system. The death of Riley Fox, whose body […]

4 hours ago

Associated Press

Catholic priest in small Nebraska community dies after being attacked in church

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Catholic priest in a small Nebraska community died Sunday after being attacked in a church rectory, authorities said. The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell was assaulted “during an invasion at the rectory” of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, the Archdiocese of Omaha said in a Sunday statement. […]

7 hours ago

Associated Press

Police chase in Philadelphia ends in shootout that leaves 2 officers, suspect wounded

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A police pursuit of a suspected gunman ended in a shootout that left two officers and a suspect wounded, police said. The shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, interim city Police Commissioner John Stanford said, after officers responded to reports of gunfire and saw a pickup truck that was occupied by a […]

9 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

Valley residents should be mindful of plumbing ahead of holidays

With Halloween in the rear-view and more holidays coming up, Day & Night recommends that Valley residents prepare accordingly.

Follow @KTAR923...

West Hunsaker at Morris Hall supports Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona

KTAR's Community Spotlight this month focuses on Morris Hall and its commitment to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona.

...

SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER

Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

Fall brings new beginnings in different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams like the Cardinals and Coyotes.

The Bird flu outbreak isn’t over, but it’s less severe, helping egg and poultry prices recover