This story was written, researched, and produced by one of Delmarva Public Media's student interns; Effy Axehead. Additional production assistance provided by Evan Wohltmann and Bryan Russo.
RUSSO (Host Intro): In the first three months of this year, there have been at least four cases of bird flu confirmed across the Delmarva Peninsula. I'm Bryan Russo. But as Delmarva public media student journalist, Effy Axehead found out, consumers are often a little less sure of how those outbreaks actually impact the region and whether or not the chicken in the grocery store is safe to eat.
AXEHEAD: It's no secret that the Delmarva Peninsula is one of the country's chicken capitals. According to the Delmarva Chicken Association, farms here have raised more than 600 million birds in 2024. That's a roughly $4.8 billion industry spread across more than a thousand growers. So when the Delaware Department of Agriculture announced in January that a commercial flock in Kent County had tested positive for avian influenza, better known as bird flu, people noticed... and the news kept coming. Later that month, another flock in Maryland tested positive. Then two more cases showed up in February. James Fisher is the communications manager for Delmarva Chicken Association. When bird flu outbreaks happen locally, he is usually the person fielding concerned phone calls.
FISHER: No chicken from any farm that has been found to have avian influenza ever enters the food system. Every flock of chickens on every farm is tested for avian Influenza before processing, and it's not on a case by case basis.
AXEHEAD: Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a virus that mainly affects birds like chickens and turkeys. Wild waterfowl like ducks, geese, and shorebirds can carry it without getting very sick themselves. Health officials say the risk to people is extremely low. Virginia, Maryland and Delaware all monitor the virus year round. In Delaware, the State Department of Agriculture, with support from the University of Delaware's lab system, conducts daily testing on commercial farms and backyard flocks. Michael Lewis is the Chief of Community Relations with the Delaware Department of Agriculture. After the positive detection of the Kent County commercial flock, I asked him how the bird flu task force was tackling the issue.
LEWIS: By Sunday afternoon, the flock had already been depopulated. People are still working at the location securing the perimeter, so that process will still go on, but the actual depopulation of the flock took less than 48 hours.
AXEHEAD: When a positive test is confirmed, officials respond immediately.
LEWIS: People are working on it every day.
AXEHEAD: Even farms without a positive case adjust. Operations companies tighten biosecurity, limit movement, and restrict visitors and equipment.
FISHER: These chicken growers, they may not make the trips to the family for holidays out of state that they might otherwise make.
AXEHEAD: Growers, companies and state agencies follow established protocols to contain outbreaks. Over the years, the industry has adapted with updated biosecurity and response plans in place before cases occur.
FISHER: The biggest change, and it seems like a small thing, is someone will have a different pair of shoes for each individual chicken house and try to get creative and figure out what's effective in discouraging wild birds from actually taking up and resting on their farm. Those are the two big changes.
AXEHEAD: News of bird flu can raise concerns, but industry leaders say the systems in place are designed to catch outbreaks quickly and keep infected birds out of the food supply. Historically, chicken sales do dip during a bird flu scare, but usually not for long, and when they do, it's often tied more to short-term price changes than health concerns. For farmers, though the stakes are much higher. If bird flu is found in a flock, growers have to euthanize the entire group of birds along with eggs and the revenue that comes with them.
FISHER: It's a challenge. It really is.
AXEHEAD: That's why, in a region like Delmarva, where poultry is a major part of the economy, the response starts almost immediately when a case appears. This is Effy Axehead for Delmarva Public Media.
