Whole chicken

USDA APHIS confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (Eurasian H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b) in a US commercial flock on February 8, 2022 — a commercial turkey operation in DuBois County, Indiana — marking the start of what would become the largest HPAI outbreak in US history. During 2022, APHIS reported the outbreak affected more than 57 million birds nationwide across commercial and backyard flocks in dozens of states, including more than 43 million commercial table-egg laying hens depopulated that year, with the single largest monthly loss in March 2022. Affected commercial flocks included egg layers (~75% of losses), turkeys (~11%), and broilers (~8%).

Congressional Research Service (Library of Congress) · USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

USDA APHIS and CDFA confirmed virulent Newcastle disease (vND) in poultry in Southern California beginning May 17, 2018, predominantly in backyard exhibition chickens. Between May 2018 and May 2020, 476 premises tested positive across six California counties (concentrated in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties), including four commercial premises (table-egg layer facilities). The state-federal response quarantined more than 8,700 premises and depopulated approximately 1.2 million birds across roughly 2,400 premises. USDA-APHIS certified the United States as having met the World Organisation for Animal Health criteria for vND eradication on June 1, 2020.

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) · California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)

A historic drought and heat across much of the US Midwest and Corn Belt in summer 2012 sharply reduced feed-grain and oilseed output; drought conditions peaked in late July 2012. USDA NASS reported the 2012 US corn crop at 10.8 billion bushels, about 13% below 2011, with the national corn yield falling to 123.4 bushels per acre (from 147.2 in 2011); soybean yield came in at 39.6 bushels per acre with production of 3.01 billion bushels, down about 3% from 2011. Soybeans are the dominant US vegetable-oil oilseed, and feed grain represents a large share of poultry production costs. Elevated feed costs persisted into the 2012/13 marketing year.

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) · USDA Economic Research Service

The California Department of Food and Agriculture and USDA confirmed exotic (virulent) Newcastle disease (END) in a Los Angeles County backyard flock on October 1, 2002. The virus subsequently spread to several commercial egg-laying operations in Southern California; more than half of the state's roughly 12 million commercial egg-producing hens were located inside the quarantine zone. The state-federal eradication response depopulated approximately 3.16 million birds across quarantined premises at a reported cost of about $161 million. The last infected commercial flock was detected March 26, 2003 (San Diego County) and the last infected backyard flock on May 31, 2003 (Los Angeles County); USDA lifted the nationwide quarantine after declaring the disease eradicated later in 2003.

CIDRAP, University of Minnesota · California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA News)