The current High Pathogenic Avian Flu outbreak has broken records since it began more than a year ago.
U.S. ag officials have spent $670 million dollars to try to get it under control. According to APHIS, the majority has gone to compensation for depopulated birds and eggs. The rest has gone to culling and disposal, personnel, state agreements, and field costs.
To date, HPAI has taken nearly 59 million birds and caused countless losses for producers.
Related Stories
Heavier weights and strong late-year slaughter supported December production, but lower annual totals highlight ongoing supply tightness heading into 2026.
Rising import pressure and tougher export competition are likely to persist into 2026, supporting domestic supplies while capping export growth.
Without additional support, many soybean operations will continue to face financial stress as they prepare for the 2026 crop.
Placements and marketings beat expectations, but declining on-feed totals and feeder constraints keep the supply story supportive for cattle prices into 2026. Dr. Derrell Peel, with Oklahoma State University, joined us to break down cattle-on-feed numbers and provide his broader market outlook.
USDA Rural Development Director for Kentucky, Travis Burton, joined us to discuss the Princeton facility (formerly Porter Road Meats), now backed by the USDA, and its role in expanding domestic meat processing capacity.
Nearly everyone in the South Texas ag community appears extremely worried about the potential of a New World screwworm epidemic, according to a local veterinarian. RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports.
