The US is facing a growing avian influenza outbreak in its dairy industry, with thousands of cows infected across California. The H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, has already affected over 112 million chickens and turkeys nationwide since its detection in February 2022.
California’s dairy farms are at risk due to the state’s massive consolidation of agriculture, leading to larger farms that house hundreds of thousands of animals together. This concentration creates an ideal environment for viruses to spread rapidly among genetically similar and stressed animals.
The virus is not only affecting cows but also humans, with 58 reported cases in the US so far. However, farmworker advocates claim that the number of cases may be underreported due to a lack of information from the top down and worker reluctance to seek medical help for fear of losing work or facing retribution.
Researchers believe that changing migration patterns caused by warmer weather are creating conditions conducive to virus transmission among wild birds, which can then jump to commercial poultry flocks and eventually infect cows. The combination of unsanitary conditions in poultry operations and the spread of low pathogenic avian influenza strains have contributed to the rapid increase in cases.
“It’s like wildfire,” said Ben Rankin, a legal expert with the Center for Biological Diversity. “There are so many more opportunities for the virus to mutate and adapt to new hosts.”
Farmworker advocates are urging greater transparency from government agencies and providing protective gear to workers. Ana Schultz, director of Project Protect Food Systems Workers, noted that the lack of information and fear of reprisal have hindered efforts to contain the outbreak.
As the situation continues to evolve, California’s dairy industry is under threat from this growing avian influenza outbreak.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/mega-farms-are-driving-the-threat-of-bird-flu