The largest producer of fresh eggs in the U.S., Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., has temporarily halted production at its Texas plant after bird flu was discovered in chickens. The infection was found at the facility in Parmer County, Texas, resulting in the destruction of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, which accounts for about 3.6% of its total flock. The plant is located on the Texas-New Mexico border in the Texas Panhandle, southwest of Amarillo and northwest of Dallas.
Cal-Maine Foods is collaborating with federal, state, and local government officials to manage the response and mitigate the risk of future outbreaks. The company is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruptions to its customers. It has assured the public that there is no known bird flu risk associated with eggs currently in the market, and no eggs have been recalled. The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms that properly handled and cooked eggs are safe to eat.
In Michigan, bird flu was detected in a commercial poultry facility in Ionia County. This marks the fourth instance of the disease being found in a commercial facility in Michigan since 2022. The facility has been placed under quarantine, but the state Department of Agriculture does not anticipate any disruptions to the poultry supply chains across the state.
The recent human case of bird flu in Texas is the first known instance globally of a person contracting this version of the virus from a mammal. Dairy cows in Texas, Kansas, and Michigan have been reported to be infected with bird flu. The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the detection of bird flu in a dairy herd in Idaho as well.
Cal-Maine Foods primarily sells its eggs in the Southwestern, Southeastern, Midwestern, and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The company continues to work closely with industry groups and government agencies to address the situation and ensure the safety of its products and consumers.
