US House Democrats open investigation into Kennedy bird flu response | Reuters

"Allowing avian flu to ravage flocks across the country is dangerous and reckless," said the letter sent by Gerald Connolly, the top Democrat on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the health subcommittee, and three other members of Congress...

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/house-democrats-open-investigation-into-kennedy-bird-flu-response-letter-2025-04-01/ 

 

Mutations, Misinformation and the Mother of All Pandemics - Truthdig

We don't yet know whether we can hold the line against the avian flu virus and prevent it from sparking a human pandemic, with a fatality rate possibly much higher than that of COVID-19. Some researchers have hopes that the Trump administration, and the USDA in particular, seem to be taking the threat seriously, restoring some cuts to critical staff and at least developing strategies to deal with what many believe is a serious crisis. But that would require a plan that cuts across agencies and disciplines. "

The USDA was not fully staffed even before" Trump came into office, says Kromm. "It was chronically understaffed." Even now, she says, "we can't tell who has come back to work and who has not."…

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/mutations-misinformation-and-the-mother-of-all-pandemics/ 

 

US agriculture department announces $100m in funding for bird flu vaccine research | Bird flu | The Guardian

Research to be funded even as health secretary RFK Jr suggested letting disease run freely for birds to develop immunity…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/20/bird-flu-vaccine-research

 

Trump’s Plan to Lower Egg Prices and a Threat to Bird Flu Vaccines Explained | Scientific American

These include providing $500 million in funding for biosecurity measures on poultry farms, $400 million in financial compensation to farmers with infected flocks and $100 million to explore the use of vaccines for egg-laying chickens (a somewhat controversial move that some other countries have already taken). The plan also includes removing what Rollins called "unnecessary burdens" on egg producers, such as a California law that establishes minimum space requirements for hens. Additionally, it would make it easier for families to raise backyard chickens—notably, several of the human H5N1 cases, including the only reported human death, were in people with exposure to backyard birds. Lastly, the Trump administration is considering temporarily importing eggs from abroad. Turkey has already begun exporting eggs to the U.S.…

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trumps-plan-to-lower-egg-prices-and-a-threat-to-bird-flu-vaccines-explained/

$5 a dozen: major egg companies may be using avian flu to hike US prices, report finds

"Based on publicly available data, we've observed that egg price increases far exceed what would be expected based on hen losses and the industry has not increased the number of laying hens as expected during a period of high prices. This strongly suggests potential antitrust violations," said Angela Huffman, chief executive of Farm Action. "The FTC and DOJ have the authority to investigate beyond what is publicly available … we urge them to exercise this authority."…

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/04/egg-prices-bird-flu-corporate-profits

Trump disrupting US bird flu response as outbreak worsens

Experts' concern grows as communication breaks down among federal agencies responsible for tackling epidemic…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/14/trump-bird-flu-response

US officials detect second bird flu strain in dairy cattle

Experts say discovery raises questions about wider spread of virus and difficulty of controlling infections in animals…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/05/bird-flu-us-cattle

US egg prices expected to climb further as farmers strained by outbreak

Egg prices in the US have risen steeply over the last several weeks. Experts say they are likely to climb further as an avian flu outbreak decimates flocks across the country...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/02/egg-prices-bird-flu

Here's Why It's Hard To Find Eggs At The Grocery Store | HuffPost Life

The bird flu, also known as the avian influenza, has caused a shortage of eggs across the United States — and you might be feeling the effects for a while...

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eggs-grocery-store-shortage-bird-flu_l_6797d599e4b0792017b78f57

 

U.S. egg industry sees record chicken deaths from bird flu outbreak - CBS News

More than 20 million egg-laying chickens in the U.S. died last quarter because of bird flu, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows, marking the worst toll inflicted on America's egg supply since the outbreak began....

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/egg-industry-chicken-deaths-bird-flu/

 

Bird flu virus shows mutations in first severe human infection in US, CDC says

Mutations are rare but have been reported in some cases in other countries and most often in extreme infections

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/26/bird-flu-virus-mutations

Bird Flu Has Hit California Dairies So Hard That They’re Calling It ‘Covid for Cows’ - The New York Times

The virus has spread rapidly in California, the nation's largest producer of milk. Farmers are frustrated that their herds are getting infected despite various precautions...

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/us/bird-flu-california-covid-cows.html

Bird flu is a real pandemic threat. Are we prepared for the worst?

A strain now circulating in dairy cows appears to carry little risk for humans at present, but we need to develop an effective strategy before it mutates…

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/16/bird-flu-pandemic-threat-prepared

Why are eggs getting more expensive again? | PBS News

Egg prices are rising once more as a lingering outbreak of bird flu coincides with the high demand of the holiday baking season…

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/why-are-eggs-getting-more-expensive-again

How bird flu virus fragments get into milk sold in stores, and what the spread of H5N1 in cows means for the dairy industry and milk drinkers

The viral fragments were detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction testing, which is known for its exceptional sensitivity in detecting even trace amounts of viral genetic material. These fragments are only evidence that the virus was present in the milk. They aren't evidence that the virus is biologically active...

https://theconversation.com/how-bird-flu-virus-fragments-get-into-milk-sold-in-stores-and-what-the-spread-of-h5n1-in-cows-means-for-the-dairy-industry-and-milk-drinkers-228689

Opinion | Blame bird flu for the high price of eggs - The Washington Post

Egg prices are up, along with bacon, because of climate-influenced animal disease and a growing world population that demands more protein...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/01/13/eggs-prices-bird-flu/

Why egg prices are high, and won't be going down soon - The Washington Post

"The flu is the most important factor affecting egg prices," said Maro Ibarburu, a business analyst at the Egg Industry Center at Iowa State University. "This outbreak, in terms of egg-laying hens, we lost 10 million more egg-laying hens than the last outbreak in 2015."…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/01/10/egg-prices-avian-flu-inflation/

Why Chinese Scientists Are More Worried Than Ever About Bird Flu

At a research lab on top of a forested hill overlooking Hong Kong, scientists are growing viruses. They first drill tiny holes into an egg before inoculating it with avian influenza to observe how the virus behaves....
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2017/04/11/523271148/why-chinese-scientists-are-more-worried-than-ever-about-bird-flu?ft=nprml&f=1001

Bird Flu Is a Big Deal. Of Course Trump Wants to Defund the Best Way to Contain It.

The virus has now hit Georgia, the No. 1 poultry-producing state—and Trump plans to cut surveillance funds....
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/03/avian-flu-spreading-dont-tell-donald-trump