Since highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1 – better known as bird flu – was first detected in the U.S. in 2022, it has wreaked havoc on the natural world, tearing through delicate populations of wild birds and spreading to mammals, killing some species in devastating numbers.
Meanwhile, the disease is also acutely felt by poultry farmers, who see avian influenza as a terrifying new threat to their livelihoods. At the same time, the soaring costs are ultimately passed on to consumers as egg prices have been destabilized.
