An egg shortage and empty grocery store shelves where poultry should be might soon become a reality in America. The bird flu has killed approximately 7.3 million chickens, turkeys, and ducks on some of the largest commercial farms in the United States as of this post – the death toll is expected to rise.
Growing your own groceries and raising your own food is commonplace for the self-reliant and prepper community, and the fragility of the safety of the food supply illustrated by the H5N2 bird flu deaths is a good reminder as to why we raise our own livestock.
The USDA has not released either the names nor the specific locations of the Iowa egg producers who have been affected by the bird flu. Before the USDA Iowa bird flu announcements began in early April, about 2.6 million birds had already been killed, either by the bird flu or agricultural authorities. The bird flu is reportedly capable of killing an entire flock of poultry within 48 hours.
Approximately 35 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) workers are now present on American farms where the H5N2 bird flu has been found. The massive and rapid spreading of this bird flu strain has reportedly prompted government concerns that the wild bird population could become “permanently infected” with the H5N2 virus. APHIS reportedly has $84.2 million available to fight the avian flu outbreak. APHIS officials have stated that $60 million in indemnity claims will be coming from poultry farmers seeking compensation for culled flocks.
The bird flu hit Iowa farms with the power or a Cat 5 tornado. USDA statistics note that the 50 million hens in Iowa supply one in every five eggs eaten across the country. While Iowa is home to some of the largest poultry farms in the country, it is most definitely not the only egg producing state to be struggling with bird flu deaths and flock cullings under the supervision of the federal government. South Dakota, Minnesota ,and Wisconsin have also lost millions of small livestock to the bird flu outbreak.
“CDC considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks, and commercial poultry, to be low,” a USDA release maintained.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said the Osceola County commercial poultry farm is one of the “bigger farms in the state.” Northey also noted that when a bird flu outbreak of this magnitude occurs, “you have to make sure the disease doesn’t leave.” Iowa is reportedly the largest egg-producing state in America.
“Anybody that has a poultry operation — whether large or small, whether you’ve got hundreds of birds or one bird — this should be a wake-up call,” Iowa Poultry Association Executive Director said Randy Olson,said.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger maintains that only the four individuals who worked with the H5N2 bird flu-stricken turkeys were placed at physical risk and are being monitored. The health official is not permitted to release the name of the avian flu infected farm in Pope County.
Despite early government releases to the contrary, public health officials are now concerned that the H5N2 bird flu could pose a health risk to farm workers. The H5N2 bird flu has reportedly left hundreds of farm workers exposed to a “highly pathogenic strain” of the virus. The agricultural workers have been given an anti-viral medication as a “preventative” measure over the past few days, according to United States public health officials.
Health officials remain “cautiously optimistic” that people will not be affected by the latest H5N2 bird flu strain, Dr. Alicia Fry, a medical officer in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s influenza division said. The CDC has reportedly isolated a “pure strain” of the H5N2 virus for possible use in a human vaccine for the avian flu, should such a step ever need to be taken.
Biosecurity safety measures have reportedly been enhanced on American farms with H5N2 infected poultry. Federal government staffers are now “overseeing” the culling of some of the birds infected with the avian flu strain due to concerns about “human health risk.” The staffers who are tasked with putting the birds down have been ordered to wear ventilators and full-body protective suits.
Do you grow and raise you own food due to concerns about the safety and security of the American food supply?