Nearly 1 million chickens were killed at Rose Acre Farms in Illinois due to the nation's largest active bird flu outbreak, threatening egg supplies and potentially driving up prices.
A devastating bird flu outbreak has led to the culling of 934,600 chickens at Rose Acre Farms in Clinton County, Illinois, making it the nation's largest active outbreak. Rose Acre Farms is the second-largest egg producer in the U.S. With no treatment for highly pathogenic avian influenza, infected and exposed birds must be killed to contain the virus. This significant loss is expected to disrupt egg production, tighten supplies, and potentially increase prices, mirroring a similar situation in 2024. The Illinois outbreak far surpasses other active cases, with Minnesota having the next highest number of affected birds at 168,880. This incident is part of a nationwide bird flu epidemic that began in February 2022, which has resulted in over 210 million bird deaths or culls. The virus typically spreads during fall and spring migrations of wild birds. The USDA is monitoring the situation and urging bird owners to practice strong biosecurity measures to prevent further spread.
