Bird flu has killed 23 million but losses could be significantly less than in 2014-15; deaths could reach peak this month

"U.S. poultry producers have strengthened their safeguards against disease, and the nation may see 'significantly less' damage from this year’s outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday. The 2014-15 bird-flu epidemic killed more than 50 million birds, mostly chickens and turkeys, in domestic flocks and created spot shortages of eggs in grocery stores," Chuck Abbott reports for the Food & Environment Reporting Network. "During a teleconference, Vilsack said his assessment was based on conditions at present. The arrival of warmer weather will help end the outbreaks that began in early February, he said."

So far, about 23 million domestic birds have died from the bird flu or been culled along with infected flocks. Iowa  is the hardest-hit state, accounting for nearly 13.3 million culled birds, Jared Strong reports for Iowa Capital Dispatch. But the epidemic might slow down after this month, because the virus is primarily spread by migratory birds, mostly geese and ducks. Most of the geese have already come and gone, and duck migration is at its high point this month.