“USDA Weighs Poultry Vaccination Plan as Bird Flu Crisis Deepens”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is advancing a poultry vaccination plan to combat the nation’s worst avian flu outbreak on record. The poultry vaccination plan, now under federal review, includes considerations of how inoculation efforts may impact U.S. poultry exports, officials told Reuters this week.
The plan follows proposals from egg and turkey producer groups that have suffered massive losses. Since 2022, over 175 million birds have been culled in efforts to control the virus. The losses drove egg prices to historic highs, forced grocery stores to ration supply, and led manufacturers to import eggs from countries like Turkey, Brazil, and South Korea.
To address the crisis, the USDA pledged up to $100 million in research for vaccines and therapeutic tools. Now, agency officials are working with state regulators and industry stakeholders to finalize a poultry vaccination plan that can be presented to U.S. trading partners—many of whom have strict rules against importing vaccinated livestock.
“You need a more complete strategy and plan for them to consider,” said Dr. John Clifford, a former USDA chief veterinary officer and advisor to the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
Industry Tensions: Eggs vs. Meat
The proposal has reignited long-standing tensions between different sectors of the poultry industry. While egg and turkey producers advocate for vaccination as a necessary protective measure, chicken meat exporters worry it could disrupt international trade. Some countries may block all U.S. poultry imports over concerns that vaccinated birds could still carry or mask signs of the virus.
According to the National Chicken Council, any vaccine rollout must ensure exports remain stable. Otherwise, chicken meat producers—less affected by the current virus strain but more dependent on exports—could face devastating trade losses.
Meanwhile, egg producers like Glenn Hickman say the resistance from the meat industry is costing livelihoods. Hickman’s Arizona-based farm has lost 95% of its flock—about 6 million birds—since May.
“Let me protect my chickens,” Hickman said.
Proposal Details
Under the egg industry’s proposal, chicks would be vaccinated early, receive booster shots, and undergo frequent testing. Any flocks that test positive would still be culled, to satisfy potential export concerns.
The USDA is expected to complete and share its full plan by July.
DailyClout.IO will continue to cover this story. Source article posted here.
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