Avian flu is a pandemic of both wild and farmed birds. Unfortunately the virus is being found at many commercial poultry farms around the world. Most Concerning are the potential affects on the food supply both locally and globally.

The latest bout of avian flu was first detected in a commercial poultry flock two years ago, as a result nearly 82 million chickens, ducks and turkeys were killed to limit the spread of the virus.

Not all birds were sick, but whole flocks or slaughterhouse lots are killed when a single diseased bird is found, this is done to limit and control the spread of the virus.

Early 2024, a farm in California had to euthanize its 550,000 egg-laying hens when chickens tested positive for the avian flu, as reported by the Guardian and other news sources.

Experts expect commercial flocks will remain at risk since the rising demand for poultry and the rise of industrial poultry farms create conditions conducive to the spread of avian influenza, a highly pathogenic disease for birds.

“It created this perfect storm, It’s just Russian roulette with a larger bull’s eye.”

– Northeastern food policy safety expert Darin Detwiler

Large Industrial Farms at Most Risk

Avian flu, a specific strain of influenza adapted to all types of birds and is nothing new. As humanity has witnessed similar bird flu outbreaks between the 1950s and 1980s which tended to be smaller and more sporadic.

Today the poultry population has grown massively, due to consumer demand. “The poultry population as a consumer food really grew in the 1990s. Therefore, bird populations grew radically and operations have become larger and larger.” Detwiler says.

Approximately 51 million poultry farm birds had to be “de-populated,” using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s terminology, during the last big avian flu outbreak in 2014–15.

Since then, the USDA says, the virus has struck 1,084 commercial and backyard flocks in 47 states and led to the slaughter of nearly 81.74 million birds, mainly egg-laying chickens, broilers, turkeys and ducks.

Inspection and slaughter

The best way food inspectors detect avian flu in poultry birds is to examine them just before slaughter for disease symptoms, including swelling, purple dis-coloration, paralysis or sickness, Detwiler confirmed.

The detection of even one slightly sick chicken results in the entire lot of chickens being slaughtered and buried or burned according to USDA regulations, Detwiler says. Chickens back on the farm where the sick one originated are also killed, he says.

“In a large lot of chickens, if any one of them is found to show the symptoms of bird flu, they depopulate the entire flock.”

– Northeastern food policy safety expert Darin Detwiler

This is really the only way you can control the disease. It all comes down to limiting exposure, contamination, transmission of disease, and control of the flock.

The good news is the avian flu is not getting worse amongst bird populations. It’s just that the size and scope of poultry farming is growing so large that bigger and bigger flocks of birds are killed when infections are detected, Detwiler says.

Industrial Farm Controversy Grows

The Business Research Company predicts that the demand for poultry will grow 6.9% from 2023 to 2024, due in part to people’s interest in healthy protein and to rising disposable incomes.

Massive poultry farms are setting up business to meet rising demand, with big poultry now raising “more than a billion birds annually … in densely packed barns” in North Carolina, according to the Charlotte Observer.

The growth of massive poultry operations have resulted in complaints by residential neighbours, environmentalists, and even poultry farmers, most of whom contract with multi-billion dollar companies such as Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms, “which control almost all aspects of production,” the Observer reported.

Avian Flu not a food-borne illness

Sporadic cases of avian flu have occurred among people who handle birds, although there is no evidence of any human-to-human transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The National Chicken Council says avian flu is not a food-borne illness, although people are always encouraged to only eat properly cooked and handled poultry.

The USDA says, “All poultry products for public consumption are inspected for signs of disease both before and after slaughter. The inspected for wholesomeness by the U.S. Department of Agriculture seal ensures the poultry is free from visible signs of disease.”

Raw chicken is a culprit in salmonella but it could possibly pose a risk for avian flu as well, Detwiler says. He says the preemptive killing of “millions and millions” of birds shows that federal inspectors consider the risk of avian flu must be taken seriously.

Vaccines and Antibiotics

Poultry farmers already are taking numerous steps to combat disease transmission, including having workers don hazmat-style suits, Detwiler says.

Poultry companies are looking at other ways to minimize the costs associated with flock eradication due to disease detection, including using hormones to grow larger chicken breasts, antibiotics for common illnesses, and even growing poultry cells in the lab.

“I believe there’s work underway to find some kind of vaccine (for avian flu), then the goal would be to vaccinate chickens so that (flock eradication) doesn’t happen at all, As of yet, it hasn’t happened.” Detwiler says.

Regardless of your country of residence of were you get your food products, cooking eggs and poultry to the proper temperature, preventing cross-contamination, sanitizing cutting boards and washing hands with warm soap and water for at least 20 minutes after handling raw poultry and eggs will provide “protection against all avian influenza viruses” as well as salmonella and E. coli.