In a Bloomberg interview, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the government may spend more than half a billion dollars to fight the avian-influenza epidemic and to compensate poultry producers for their flocks. Some $410 million has been earmarked for the work. “We need to be very prepared for this to re-assert itself in the fall,” said Vilsack in the session with reporters and editors. There are estimates that 50 million domestic fowl, mostly turkeys and egg-laying hens, will die from the virus or be culled to prevent the disease from spreading.
Meanwhile, avian influenza infected three wild goslings in Macomb County, Michigan, 35 miles northeast of Detroit, state officials announced. Michigan’s agriculture director said the discovery “was not unexpected,” considering the disease has hit neighboring states and Ontario, reported the news site MLive. State veterinarian James Averill said there were no cases in domestic flocks. State officials said they will try to prevent spread of the virus among wild birds or to commercial flocks.
Michigan is the 21st state to report an outbreak of avian influenza. The USDA’s running tally lists 219 cases in poultry flocks, mostly chickens and turkeys. Some 46.8 million fowl have been affected, including 24 million egg-laying hens in Iowa, which amounts to 7 percent of U.S. layers. Egg prices are rising because of tight supplies.
Poultry producers are split over development of a vaccine against avian influenza, says Reuters. Turkey growers want a vaccine while chicken farmers are wary. A vaccination campaign could trigger trade bans by overseas customers. The USDA says it will not release a vaccine at present because the drugs are only 60 percent effective.