The U.S. government will give pharmaceutical company Moderna $176 million for a High Path Avian Flu vaccine, according to Reuters.
It uses the same technology as the COVID-19 vaccine, and Moderna began development and testing it last year on adults.
“mRNA vaccine technology offers advantages in efficacy, speed of development and production, scalability, and reliability in addressing infectious disease outbreaks, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel.
So far, four agriculture workers have contracted the virus since 2022.
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A smaller U.S. turkey flock and resurgent avian flu have tightened supplies, driving prices higher even as other key holiday foods show mixed trends.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu (HPAI) cases are rising. In the last week, seven commercial turkey, duck, and egg layer flocks were culled across five Midwest states and California.
While there has been an increase in outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) this migration season, the CDC says the public health risk is low.
Approximately 42,000 birds were affected in the outbreak, officials said.
AFBF Economist Bearnt Nelson joins us with insights into current turkey flock sizes, HPAI concerns, and production impacts on holiday demand.
Farmers may benefit from higher turkey prices this holiday season, but risks from HPAI and limited poult placements could further strain the supply.
