Avian flu making itself felt in prices, summer activities

Avian flu is deadly to domestic poultry and can sometimes infect humans, but we're more likely to be affected by the current outbreak when it comes to fair time or at the dinner table.

It's already affected a "critter swap" at a local farm store Saturday, which will exclude poultry in response to a Nebraska Department of Agriculture announcement today that all poultry events across Nebraska will be banned through Jan. 1, 2016.

The ban includes all events where birds are co-mingled, including local and county fairs and festivals, the Nebraska State Fair, Ak-Sar-Ben, swap meets, exotic sales and live bird auctions.

So far, the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain of avian flu has been detected in 201 farms in 15 states, including Nebraska, forcing producers to destroy nearly 45 million chickens and turkeys, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

State officials are asking Nebraska poultry producers, large and small, to monitor their commercial and backyard flocks for signs of illness, and to try to prevent contact between domestic and wild birds, and call the USDA at (866) 536-7593 or the NDA at (877) 800-4080 to report sick birds or unusual bird deaths.

Forced destruction of laying hens is creating a shortage, especially of "liquid eggs" from "breaker" operations where the eggs are broken right on the farm and later frozen or dried and used in commercial baking for products like bread, cookies and crackers and for restaurants.

Prices for wholesale eggs doubled in May, and prices for shell eggs in grocery stores have increased as well. Some restaurants have cut back breakfast hours because of the egg shortage.

Monday, the USDA announced it would allow pasteurized egg imports from the Netherlands.

Although the outbreaks is expected to drop off by mid-summer, when higher temperatures will help kill the virus, some 50 million birds are expected to be destroyed.

But commercial bakers, ag companies and restaurants are also afraid the virus could be back this fall once migratory birds begin carrying along on their trip south.

While birds are bearing the brunt of the HPAI flu for the time being, health experts are monitoring carefully and efforts are underway to create an effective vaccine in case human infections begin to be a problem.

Will avian flu become a serious threat to humans? Stay tuned ...