Posted on 04/04/2024 5:18:40 PM PDT by bitt
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., recognized as the country’s largest producer of fresh eggs, announced on Tuesday that it has temporarily suspended operations at one of its major facilities located in Parmer County, Texas.
This drastic measure comes in the wake of a detected outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
The outbreak has led to the culling of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets.
This action represents about 3.6% of Cal-Maine Foods’ total flock as of early March 2024, marking a significant loss for the company and the egg industry as a whole.
Cal-Maine released the following statement:
Cal-Maine today reported that one of the Company’s facilities located in Parmer County, Texas, tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (“HPAI”), resulting in depopulation of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, or approximately 3.6% of the Company’s total flock as of March 2, 2024.
Production at the facility has temporarily ceased as the Company follows the protocols prescribed by the USDA. Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers.
The Company remains dedicated to robust biosecurity programs across its locations; however, no farm is immune from HPAI. HPAI is still present in the wild bird population and the extent of possible future outbreaks, with heightened risk during the migration seasons, cannot be predicted. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the human health risk to the U.S. public from HPAI viruses is considered to be low. Also, according to the USDA, HPAI cannot be transmitted through safely handled and properly cooked eggs. There is no known risk related to HPAI associated with eggs that are currently in the market and no eggs have been recalled.
The Company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response.
The APHIS division of the USDA and individual states track and publicly report individual incidents of HPAI by location. The Company will provide updated information in its next quarterly report to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and does not expect to provide interim updates unless material.
WATCH:
p
Fauci strikes again.
sucks, but it happens.
I have seen how these operations work and I really do not approve as they are not how I would work them.
there are better ways, where you do not have millions of birds all together in one place.
Company press release: We’ve lost 3.6% of our total flock and therefore must raise prices by 30%.
I’m thinking about quail and rabbit. They are quiet and I can keep them out of sight. Cannot have chickens in my town, yet they are OK in neighboring, larger towns like Athens. Sheesh.
Wife and I been talking about LA. I freaking hate moving. But it’s acreage and there is deer and hogs.
Part of the plan to end food.
1 million here, 1 million there, and pretty soon you are talking a lot of chickens. But Cal-Maine has numerous facilities, and 1 million in just about every one of them. If this problem does not spread further, I think the egg supply will be in OK shape. I suppose that’s a big if…
By the way, my son works for them, and his facility is one among several working to cover the deliveries that the affected egg facility is not going to be able to fulfill. ( Apparently, though, the eggs from the affected facility are not dangerous to eat, assuming you cook them normally.)
5 laying hens and one present rooster in protected enclosure— problem solved. Plenty of eggs on site. Must be careful where the enclosure is in some urban settings. In the country- zero problem
Gotta wonder how many VIALS of contagions they are going to release in strategic places. I'm sure they've taken the antidotes for them, too.
Chicom biological attack.
Deliberate or typical failed regulatory quality control.
I was at Tractor Supply today, and they were unboxing a few crates of baby chicks. The older chicks not sold were marked down to one dollar each.
Exactly. Those huge places are filthy and birds are mistreated. I buy only pasture-raised eggs from a company in my state, sold at Natural Grocer and Safeway. A friend knows the man who raises them and says he’s very careful to give his hens the best possible feed.
Eat the bugs!
Just put masks on the chickens. Two weeks to stop the spread.
We know it’s coming...
. Choose wisely. Avoid the Black Belt. Whites are increasingly dwindling there and Hispanic migrants are moving in big time.
Squab is good.
If you omit the rooster the hens remain more incognito. As the hens age out, replace them with young hens and retire the old hens to your dinner table.
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