Whats next, pigs? Maybe.
Bird flu (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) is no longer just a chicken and milk thing. New concerns are being raised about the possibility of beef products also being impacted.
From that lone dairy farm in Texas where the virus was detected, the virus has spread to 36 dairy operations across nine states, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and others in the industry have their hands high in the air asking questions about the outbreak's potential impact on meat products in addition to milk.
This has led to USDAdeciding to test ground beef samples from retail stores in those states where avian flu outbreaks in dairy herds have been reported.
Are you safe?
Officials expressed confidence in the safety of the U.S. meat supply. Additionally, they will use a virus surrogate to see how temperature affects the virus when the meat is cooked.
But, the good news is that there are no sick beef cows found, yet, but the whole thing is making the market kind ofjittery. The two points to remember here are, one, this bird flu thing isn't an issue with eating meat as long as you cook it right. And, two, beef prices might be a little up-and-down for a while.
This little pig went to market
One last thing
If you follow the fenceline of this situation, the possibility that pigs find their way into this mess is fairly good because pigs are generally considered more susceptible to bird flu than cows.
If that happens, then U.S. consumers will be facing another set of question marks, but for now, all is good. Just get yourself a meat thermometer and make sure you cook everything to the proper temperature.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-05-02 17:06:51
