HPAI Update: Calm Before the Storm for California Dairy & Poultry?

It’s been a little while since we’ve talked about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, but we want you to know it hasn’t dropped off our radar. Since February of 2022, the virus has hit hard—impacting more than 175 million birds and over 1,000 dairy herds nationwide. According to a Market Intel Report from the American Farm Bureau, detections have slowed this summer, with no new cases in commercial poultry and just one dairy herd confirmed in the past 30 days.

The first dairy case was reported in March 2024, and since then, 1,075 herds across 18 states have tested positive. California has borne the brunt, with more than 72% of detections here. Things may feel quiet now, but is this the calm before the storm? Possibly, but we sure hope not.

Losses are real—Cornell researchers estimate nearly $950 per infected cow, plus $367 in milk losses even after recovery. And with migratory birds soon heading south for the season, this is the time for vigilance.

For more: https://www.fb.org/market-intel/avian-influenza-detections-drop-but-fall-migration-looms