Bird flu is decimating US poultry

Since two thousand twenty-two, H five N one has killed over one hundred sixty million egg-laying hens in the United States, causing egg shortages and price spikes.

Egg prices have spiked twice

In early two thousand twenty-three, egg prices increased by sixty-five percent. In two thousand twenty-five, they reached a national average of more than six dollars per dozen.

Vaccines exist and work

The United States has several effective bird flu vaccines. Egg and turkey producers want to use them on their birds to prevent mass deaths and disease spread.

Trump administration announced a plan

In early two thousand twenty-five, the Trump administration announced it would formulate a vaccination plan by engaging with trade partners, state veterinarians, and farmers.

The plan is now stalled

According to Politico, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins pulled back on the vaccination strategy because she was concerned about whether it would clash with RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine views.

RFK Jr. has political influence

Kennedy oversees the Food and Drug Administration and his Make America Healthy Again movement has enough political influence to sway how the agriculture department manages this outbreak.

Bird flu kills through culling

When H five N one is detected in a barn, federal regulations require producers to cull every bird. The predominant method seals vents, causing temperatures to rise and death by heatstroke.

Chicken meat industry blocks vaccines

The US chicken meat industry exports thirteen point nine percent of production, valued at six point two billion dollars last year. Importing countries would ban US chicken if any farmed birds are vaccinated.

The DIVA problem explained

Importing countries fear the DIVA problem: differentiating infected from vaccinated animals. They cannot tell if a bird has bird flu or just antibodies from vaccination, so they ban all US chicken imports.

France showed a path forward

In two thousand twenty-three, French duck farmers began vaccinating birds against H five N one. The US and Canada restricted imports for over a year but partially lifted restrictions after assurances.

Expert: biosecurity alone fails

Carol Cardona, a professor at the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine, said biosecurity breaks repeatedly. Vaccination should focus on egg-laying hens and breeding turkeys in the northern US.

“When biosecurity breaks over and over and over again, you have to say to yourself, there's something wrong with the system.”

Vaccination reduces virus spread

Cardona explained that vaccination reduces the amount of virus in the environment, which reduces the number of other species that get infected. The effect compounds across the system.

“We reduce the amount of virus in the environment, and so by doing that, we reduce the number of other species that get infected. We simply reduce, reduce, reduce.”

The human and economic toll

Seventy-two people in the US have contracted bird flu since two thousand twenty-four, with two deaths. Billions in taxpayer dollars compensate farmers for culled birds, and consumers face higher egg prices.

Wildlife and livestock also suffer

Since two thousand twenty-one, bird flu has caused mass die-offs of sea lions in Peru and seal pups on Antarctic islands. Since two thousand twenty-four, it has affected nearly one thousand two hundred dairy herds.

Politics delays action on both sides

The Biden administration slow-walked vaccine development until the Trump administration inherited the issue. If egg prices rise this winter, it will likely happen after midterms, so neither party pays a political price.

“When you mix politics and science, you get politics.”