U.S. bird flu outbreak may mean no turkey for Thanksgiving

The largest-ever U.S. outbreak of avian influenza, which has devastated Midwestern poultry and egg producers in recent weeks, could be felt at Thanksgiving tables across the nation come November, farmers and some trade groups say.
The virulent H5N2 strain has already spread to 14 states and led to the deaths or scheduled euthanizations of more than 21 million birds, including 3.3 million turkeys in Minnesota, the nation’s top turkey producer.
And now, with Thanksgiving just seven months away, farmers say they may be running out of time to raise enough turkeys –the traditional centerpiece of holiday feasts – to meet the demand.
Once a farm has been infected, flocks must be culled, composted in barns, then disposed of. Buildings must then be thoroughly disinfected. The whole process can take up to three months before a new flock of turkey poults can be brought in, said Steve Olson, executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association.
After chicks are re-introduced to the barns, farmers say, it typically takes about four months to produce a full-sized hen – the type of turkey most Americans prefer for their holiday feasts.
If breeder farms that supply the young birds have also been infected – as some in Minnesota have – simply acquiring the chicks could prove challenging.
And in Minnesota, there’s still no sign of an end to the outbreak, despite tight biosecurity measures and quarantines. Already, at least one turkey processing plant has cut back on workers’ shifts because of a lack of birds to slaughter.
“We’re going to have fewer turkeys coming out because of this,” Olson said.
“The question we can’t answer is how much this is going to impact our total system, because this isn’t over yet,” he added.
Of the nearly 240 million turkeys raised last year in the United States, nearly one in five came from Minnesota farms. About 30 per cent of the Minnesota birds are sold as whole turkeys at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The remaining 70 per cent are sold year-round for deli meat, frozen meals, ground turkey and other products, according to industry data.
“There’s a sense of pride in farmers, in what they do,” Olson said, in a state where farms have often been in the same family for generations. “This is challenging their belief in their ability to raise turkeys, because they have not been able to stop the disease, despite them doing everything they can do from a biosecurity standpoint.”

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waybomb said:

Eat ham. Glazed spiral sliced ham.

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leadarrows said:

We have our own chickens and turkeys on the farm. Haven't bought eggs in over a year.

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The poultry show at the Putnam County Fair is missing an important piece this year, the actual poultry!

Ohio's Department of Agriculture banned bird exhibits in the state because of the spread of the Bird Flu from the Midwest. 4-H officials had to think of new ways for the 61 kids to showcase their hard work. Exhibitors made posters to test what they've learned about their bird projects over the last few months. This is the first time this has happened, but the kids are excited to showoff their displays.

This ban is a safety measure to prevent the birds from mingling and spreading the flu in Ohio. There are no known cases of bird flu in the state.

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