The New York Times reports this morning that “in an effort to head off an epidemic of dangerous bird flu, the nation's chicken farmers will immediately begin testing nearly all flocks for influenzas, an industry trade group announced yesterday.
“The National Chicken Council said that poultry-processing companies that control about 90 percent of the nation's chicken production had joined the program. By Jan. 16, they are to start testing about 1.6 million birds a year, a council spokesman said.”
There’s only one problem. The program, according to experts interviewed by the Times, “might not speed farmers' ability to spot the dangerous H5N1 flu strain that has killed millions of chickens in Asia and 76 humans.”
“The National Chicken Council said that poultry-processing companies that control about 90 percent of the nation's chicken production had joined the program. By Jan. 16, they are to start testing about 1.6 million birds a year, a council spokesman said.”
There’s only one problem. The program, according to experts interviewed by the Times, “might not speed farmers' ability to spot the dangerous H5N1 flu strain that has killed millions of chickens in Asia and 76 humans.”
- KC's View:
