H5N1

Concerns about H5N1 Avian Influenza Spreading among Mammals

Dan Avian Influenza

You may have heard the story how the USDA, for the first time, confirmed the presence of H5N1 avian influenza in rats. This is of course raising concerns about the virus’s ability to spread among mammals. Rusty Halvorson has more details. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

nppc

NPPC President Testifies before Senate Ag Committee

Dan Legislative, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), Pork

Last week the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture. While she touched on various issues, Rusty Halvorson reports trade issues and ongoing market access with tariff concerns was one of the top ones. Stevermer also discussed California Proposition 12, a state law that prohibits the sale of uncooked whole pork meat from hogs born to sows raised …

usda

USDA to Invest One Billion Dollars to Fight Bird Flu

Dan Agri-Business, Avian Influenza, Funding, Livestock, Poultry

The New USDA Secretary has announced a $1 billion comprehensive strategy to fight highly pathogenic avian influenza, protect the U.S. poultry industry, and lower egg prices. Rusty Halvorson has more details. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

egg prices

USDA Invests Up To $1 Billion to Combat Avian Flu and Reduce Egg Prices

Dan Agri-Business, Avian Influenza, Economy, Eggs, Funding, Poultry, USDA

Secretary Rollins rolls out a robust strategy to deliver affordable eggs (USDA/Washington, D.C./Feb. 26, 2025) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a $1 billion-dollar comprehensive strategy to curb highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), protect the U.S. poultry industry, and lower egg prices. This is in addition to funding already being provided to indemnify growers for depopulated flocks. As …

h5n1

Canada Stocks Avian Flu Vaccine as H5N1 Detected in U.S. Rats

Dan Avian Influenza

For the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of H5N1 avian influenza in rats, heightening concerns about the virus’s potential to spread among mammals. The infected black rats were discovered in Riverside County, California, near recent poultry outbreaks. This finding adds to growing evidence of cross-species transmission, with additional cases reported in a harbor seal, …

beef producers

New Numbers for Beef Producers

Dan Beef, Cattle, Labor and Immigration, Marketing, Pork

New numbers for beef producers were available in a recent report. Rusty Halvorson has more on that, along with information about labor issues for hog producers. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

chicken

Caucus Members Want Assurances Regarding Chicken Exports

Dan Avian Influenza, Poultry

The co-chairs of the Congressional and Senate Chicken Caucuses wrote the USDA to seek assurances to protect America’s chicken exports should vaccination be contemplated as part of a strategy to combat HPAI. With the recent attention around increased egg prices due to HPAI, there have been renewed conversations about whether the U.S. should vaccinate commercial poultry flocks against the virus. …

conditional license

Conditional License Issued for Avian Influenza Vaccine

Dan Avian Influenza, Poultry

Zoetis recently announced the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics issued the company a conditional license for its Avian Influenza Vaccine, H5N2 Subtype, Killed Virus. According to a story from Rusty Halvorson, the vaccine is labelled for use in chickens. A conditional license is used to meet an emergency condition, limited market, local situation or other special circumstance and is issued …

bird flu

U.S. Bird Flu Response Hampered by Trump Administration

Dan Agri-Business, Avian Influenza, Cattle, Legislative, Livestock, Poultry

The U.S. response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak has faced significant disruption in the early weeks of the Trump administration, raising concerns among federal officials, state agencies, veterinarians, and public health experts. Since President Donald Trump assumed office on January 20, two key federal agencies responsible for monitoring and managing the outbreak have delayed critical communications, including bird flu …