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Nearly 1 million chickens killed at egg farm as nation’s largest bird flu outbreak grows
The Independent • • health
Key Points:
- Nearly 1 million chickens were culled at a Rose Acre Farms facility in Clinton County, Illinois, due to the largest active bird flu outbreak in the U.S., affecting 934,600 birds.
- Rose Acre Farms, the nation's second-largest egg producer, faces significant production disruption, which could tighten egg supplies and drive prices higher.
- The Illinois outbreak far surpasses other cases nationwide, with Minnesota having the next-largest number of affected birds at 168,880.
- Since February 2022, over 210 million birds have died or been culled in the ongoing nationwide bird flu epidemic, which typically spikes during fall and spring migration seasons.
- The USDA continues to monitor poultry operations and urges bird owners to implement strong biosecurity measures to prevent virus spread, as no treatment exists for highly pathogenic avian influenza.
