High-Path Avian Flu has been confirmed in more than 1,000 herds across 17 states. While it spreads easily in cow udders, researchers have found no signs that it is adapting to humans.
The virus seems to thrive on receptors in cow mammary glands that are similar to those in birds. Most cows recover after a couple of weeks, but the outbreak is still putting a major financial strain on producers.
One estimate from an ag economist suggests a dairy cow 2,500 cows in quarantine could lose half a million dollars a day due to treatment costs, labor, and lost production.
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Alan Bjerga of the National Milk Producers Federation discusses the Dairy Margin Coverage program, recent improvements, and what producers need to know ahead of this week’s enrollment deadline.
Higher output keeps milk supplies ample, reinforcing expectations for softer dairy prices even as feed costs remain favorable.
The USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum highlights modest price support from tighter supplies across cotton, grains, dairy, livestock, and sugar into 2026.
Cuba remains a steady, nearby buyer of U.S. poultry, pork, dairy, and staples, but legal and compliance risks could still affect shipping and payment channels.
Higher livestock prices reflect resilient demand, even as disease and herd shifts reshape 2026 supply expectations.
RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey was in Mission, Texas, where state and federal officials addressed growers and producers at a round table event hosted at a citrus grower’s facility. He shows us how welcome news was all around.
