H5N1 Bird Flu Spreads to Poultry in 12 States, Raising Concerns Over Los Angeles Food Supply Ties to Central Valley Farms

H5N1 Bird Flu Spreads to Poultry in 12 States, Raising Concerns Over Los Angeles Food Supply Ties to Central Valley Farms

While the World Cup public health emergency dominates headlines, a slower but serious biosecurity threat is growing with less attention: H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to spread in U.S. poultry in 2026, with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirming H5N1 HPAI detections in commercial poultry in 12 states since January 2026.

The ongoing outbreak in commercial poultry, following the dairy cattle H5N1 outbreak since March 2024, shows a rare long-term presence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza in U.S. farm animals. This has no modern precedent in the food system. Los Angeles, as a major market, is directly exposed through supply chains that rely on Central Valley poultry and eggs.