Bird flu has wiped out 148 million of the U.S. poultry supply since 2022 — yet the nation is stuck in crisis mode, where there is an emphasis on reacting rather than  preventing. As egg prices soar to all-time highs, the impact of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) is becoming increasingly clear. This past December, the price for a dozen eggs jumped to $4.10 per dozen,  doubling the average cost per dozen in August 2023. As consumers, we often neglect the role of local egg producers, but the ongoing threat of HPAI reveals the vulnerability of both large-scale and local farms, highlighting the urgent need for a more resilient food system. To safeguard food security in the face of such crises, we must shift from reactive responses to proactive strategies that improve biosecurity and enhance the overall resilience of agricultural systems. Working on a poultry farm for five years, I have directly seen the strong sense of fear that the outbreak has put on producers. A single case of bird flu can easily put the entire farm at risk of permanent closure.

Bird flu became a major threat to poultry producers in 2015 and has continued to evolve, impacting farms across the country. This outbreak is threatening our food system, as poultry producers are forced to cull their entire flocks if a single case is detected. The rising cost of food, particularly poultry—one of the most affordable and widely consumed animal proteins—is already placing significant strain on households. When HPAI causes price spikes, it disproportionately impacts low-income consumers who rely on poultry as a staple in their diets. In contrast, local farms provide a stabilizing force amid these fluctuations in global markets. For example, Chip-In Farm, a local poultry farm in the Boston suburb of Bedford, MA, has seen an increase in customers without raising prices, demonstrating the resilience of community-based food systems. Protecting these local farms is essential to securing diverse, reliable food sources. In addition, while rare, the potential for HPAI to mutate and spill over to humans—such as with the H5N1 mutation— remains a significant concern. The longer the virus circulates in poultry populations, the greater the risk of human transmission.

All poultry farms want to prevent bird flu, as culling their flock is their last resort. Farms across the U.S. should ramp up their biosecurity measures and work proactively. Wild bird flu cases are extremely difficult to track, making prevention efforts all the more important. Pasture-raised flocks are at significantly higher risk of HPAI, as they are more exposed to wild birds. Governor Hochul ordered the closure of live market closures in the New York City area only after cases appeared in seven different markets across New York City—another example of reactive policy making rather than prevention. Government officials and media should not be silencing bird flu’s potential further spread, but instead make awareness a top priority. “A communications freeze is not what we need right now,’’ said Koh, former US assistant health secretary during the Obama administration. “That’s very serious. When communications should be paramount, instead it’s been silenced.’’ Government agencies should assist farms by providing guidance on strict biosecurity measures and reducing circumstances that could lead to outbreaks, such as poultry fairs.

Once a case is detected, the USDA should continue its strict measures of culling infected flocks.  Farms must seal off barns, limit outdoor flock exposure, and require strict sanitation at entry points to keep wild bird flu out. While culling remains necessary to contain outbreaks, it cannot be the only strategy. The USDA must increase funding for preventive measures, such as vaccination trials and enhanced farm biosecurity. State agricultural departments should continue to impose bans on poultry fairs, swaps, and live-bird sales, as these events can increase the chances of outbreaks. Similar strict biosecurity methods and rapid culling were proven effective in the last bird flu outbreak in 2014-2015. As a strong research university in Animal Science, Cornell University should continue to conduct studies on the risks of bird flu and should extend information to farmers and backyard poultry producers throughout New York State. Policymakers must shift to a more proactive approach to bird flu, rather than relying  on reactive measures that have proven insufficient.