It’s Time to End the Denial About Bird Flu
“Since the beginning of the bird flu outbreak nearly three years ago, state and federal departments of agriculture have had one goal in mind: Maintain consumer confidence—as tens of millions of birds are culled and taxpayers bear the cost of industry bailouts. Every new media report of an infected dairy herd, poultry flock, or farm worker comes with the ubiquitous industry-approved mantra, “Don’t worry, the meat and the milk are safe.” But this messaging deflects from the production methods that have enabled the virus to spread in ways yet to be fully understood.”
Since the beginning of the bird flu outbreak nearly three years ago, state and federal departments of agriculture have had one goal in mind: Maintain consumer confidence—as tens of millions of birds are culled and taxpayers bear the cost of industry bailouts. Every new media report of an infected dairy herd, poultry flock, or farm worker comes with the ubiquitous industry-approved mantra, “Don’t worry, the meat and the milk are safe.”But this messaging deflects from the production methods that have enabled the virus to spread in ways yet to be fully understood.
