Bird flu angst continues in US

“A case of bird flu in the US could be devastating,” said Don Dalton, president of the US Poultry and Egg Association. Overseas buyers would likely ban US chicken and consumers here could shy away from it, he added.

John Clifford, a deputy administrator at USDA‘s Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service, stated that the government is continuing its extensive surveillance program to minimise the risk of the disease arriving via migratory or imported birds. In addition, the government has spent money and provided resources to fight the disease overseas. Clifford said, “If we can reduce the level abroad, we can therefore reduce the risk of it being introduced into the US.”