WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a conditional license for a bird flu vaccine for use in chickens. This decision comes as an outbreak devastates poultry flocks, contributing to high egg prices.
Historically, bird flu vaccines have been viewed with some skepticism due to concerns about complications, including difficulties in detecting the virus in vaccinated birds and potential trade implications. However, the strategy may shift as the virus spreads to other animals, such as cattle, and becomes more challenging to contain.
In the past 30 days alone, at least 145 flocks have been confirmed to have avian flu, which has affected over 20 million birds.
Since its beginning in 2022, the bird flu outbreak has led to the culling of nearly 158 million birds, primarily egg-laying chickens. Millions of birds have been slaughtered to contain the virus’s spread in recent months. The impact of these culls is prolonged, as it takes time to dispose of carcasses, sanitize facilities, and raise new flocks to egg-laying age.
A devastating avian flu outbreak in Jackson County in January 2025 resulted in the culling of 2.8 million egg-laying hens. This marks the largest outbreak since the state began experiencing cases of this specific bird flu strain in 2022.
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