Three years after the epidemic He claimed the life of nearly 170 million farm birds and caused 70 well -known human infections At the level of the country, the newly appointed Minister of Agriculture revealed to Trump Brock Rollins A billion dollar strategy For US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to combat bird flu. The problem is that while the Federal Agency focuses its misleading efforts on protecting biomedia against wild birds, it will spend 400 million dollars In more rescue operations to support the real perpetrator – agriculture.
In 2025, Egg prices are expected to rise by 41 percentAnd more than 30 million chickens have already been removed from the egg laying since the beginning of the year. As the Trump administration The fires of officials in charge of preventing the spread of bird flu and The United States withdraws from the World Health OrganizationIt is clear that the priority of the US Department of Agriculture does not protect the public. It protects the end result of animal agriculture and industry support. “We are confident that our comprehensive strategy will help install the market in the three months to the next six, if not sooner,” He said Rollins.
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By failing to address the basic causes of bird flu, the US Department of Agriculture’s plan is likely to increase instability by continuing to pay farmers participating in risky and irresponsible practices – as it fails to protect public health.
By nature, the factory farms are the causes of disease raising, as the causes of pathogens can be multiplied that can be transmitted between animals and humans. These facilities are intensively flourishing tens of thousands of animals cultivated in unhealthy pens, where workers face long hours in these same circumstances, and often it is A little protective equipment To help prevent infection.
According to a new study, the factory farm ventilation systems can increase things Facilitate the transmission of air portable flu atmosphere. In April 2024, The US Department of Agriculture mentioned Bird flu is likely to spread in cows on dairy farms through Aleppo equipment. Soon after, the Petsburg University Faculty Research revealed that bird flu is It is still active on the milking equipment for one hour Or longer. Moreover, it is more likely that the lack of sufficient precautions in the factory farms multiplies the disease even when it arises in wild birds, and indirectly spreads to poultry on contaminated feed, clothes and equipment, I mentioned the American geological survey.
Meanwhile, animal agricultural works benefit from consumers and benefit from high prices to blame bird flu. A New report It reveals an enlarged rate of 157 percent for eggs in the United States and that large egg companies may raise prices artificially. Cal-Maine Foods, Cal-Maine Foods, I mentioned $ 219 million In the past quarter. Since 2022, the price of dozens of Cal-Maine eggs jumped from $ 1.37 to $ 2.74. Main poultry producers, including Tyson foods and Jabal farmsIt also witnessed the height of profits.
There is no evidence that bird flu is spreading from person to person, but we should not fail our guards and fail to address the behavior of reckless factory cultivation like The virus develops to pose a greater threat. This year, an American child with bird flu suffered from unknown exposure – and in the first American case to die of bird flu, the virus is more likely Currently after the injury It has become more severe, a development that worries scientists.
We know almost that 75 per cent of human pathogens are zoonoothLike Covid-19, SARS, swine flu, and bird flu. If the government wants to act responsibly, it must transform its support away from the planting of the factory, an industry that facilitates the spread of dangerous pathogens.
To protect animals and people alike, the US Department of Agriculture must support the transformation of industrial animal agriculture to a safer, more humane and more sustainable diet. Otherwise, we will return in this same place again and again. As for an administration, it says it focuses on reducing waste and improving efficiency, this is unacceptable.
Jane Bohr is the head and co -founder of the farm reserve, the world of farm in the world and the Da`wah Organization, and the author of The Books Farm refuge: changing hearts and minds from animals and food and Live the life of the farm haven.
The views expressed in this article are a writer.
