USDA Eyes Vaccine for Bird Flu

The worst outbreak of bird flu in U.S. history has made its way to Congressional hearings as researchers awaiting results for possible poultry vaccines. But are vaccines the answer to controlling the virus and adding more certainty to the poultry market? Trade groups say not necessarily. Many overseas markets wouldn’t accept vaccinated poultry and the cost alone would prove a barrier.

But USDA says it already spent more than $670 million in insurance indemnities and sanitation services to combat the spread of the virus. Since April 2022, roughly 140,000 poultry birds were infected. A total of four vaccines are in testing, but according to an Iowa State University poultry veterinarian, a vaccine will not be a “silver bullet” for the industry.

Read more on a potential bird flu vaccine here.