The largest producer of fresh eggs in the US said Tuesday it had temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after bird flu was found in chickens, and officials said the virus had also been detected at a poultry facility in Michigan, the AP reports. Cal-Maine Foods, based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, said in a statement that approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, about 3.6% of its total flock, were destroyed after the infection, avian influenza, was found at a facility in Parmer County, Texas.
"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 statement said. "Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers." Cal-Maine said it sells most of its eggs in the Southwestern, Southeastern, Midwestern, and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The company said there is no known bird flu risk associated with eggs that are currently in the market and no eggs have been recalled.
In Michigan, Michigan State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has detected bird flu in a commercial poultry facility in Ionia County, according to the state's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The department said it received confirmation of the disease Monday from the lab and that it is the fourth time since 2022 that the disease was detected at a commercial facility in Michigan. The facility has been placed under quarantine and the department does not anticipate any disruptions to supply chains across the state, a department spokesperson said.
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