Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Bird flu impact on food supply in California

 
Photo and headline:  Medical Daily, 6/4/2026

Dorothy Brooks reports: 
While the World Cup public health emergency dominates headlines, a slower but serious biosecurity threat is growing with less attention: H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to spread in U.S. poultry in 2026, with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirming H5N1 HPAI detections in commercial poultry in 12 states since January 2026. 
The ongoing outbreak in commercial poultry, following the dairy cattle H5N1 outbreak since March 2024, shows a rare long-term presence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza in U.S. farm animals. This has no modern precedent in the food system. Los Angeles, as a major market, is directly exposed through supply chains that rely on Central Valley poultry and eggs. 
The Central Valley (Fresno, Tulare, Kings, Merced) supplies much of Southern California's poultry and eggs. H5N1 HPAI has been found in California poultry in 2024 and 2025, with tighter biosecurity now in place. The NIOSH June 2026 newsletter confirmed that H5N1 avian influenza spreading from cows to people presents a new challenge. Wisconsin's NIOSH-funded "Gear Up, Wash Up, Step Up" campaign has reached over 438,000 people in dairy regions since 2025, but no similar campaign exists yet for Central Valley workers tied to the LA supply chain.

Other bird flu posts:
June 1-10:

May 16-31

May 11-15

May 6-10

May 1-5:

April 26-30:

April 21-25:
California bird flu news:  It's everywhere, it's everywhere!  (4/23)

April 16-20
 
April 11-15:

April 6-10:  
Even the 1% have to deal with bird flu  (The Hamptons Long Island edition).  (4/9)

April 1-5
Lancaster County Pennsylvania reports yet another case of bird flu. (4/1

March 26-31:

March 21-25:

March 16-20:

March 11-15, 2025

March 6-10, 2026.  

March 1-5, 2026

February 20-28,2026
SHOCKER!!  Dead birds found in Ohio gated community.  Bird flu suspected.  (2/21)

February 10-19, 2026
February 1-9, 2026

January 21-31, 2026

January 11-20, 2026
New York tells resident don't touch those dead birds.  (1/17)

January 1-10, 2026
Bird flu strain of avian influenza:  "The picture has grown darker and stranger than most would have imagined".  (1/8)
Bird flu reported on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. (1/8)Dozens of vultures die of bird flu in North Carolina.  (1/8)

December 16-31, 2025

December 1-15, 2025

November 15-30, 2025

November 1-15, 2025

October 2025

September 2025

April-August 2025

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