japantiger said:
If our government is reporting it, it's bull*****
Maybe.
It's a constant and often price shifting issue in the poultry industry. It's normally driven by wild (migrating) birds flying over poultry farms and crapping on them. New / expensive farms are going to fully covered to try and avoid this. People walking into the chicken facilities often have to go through a detox system similar to something you saw on the movie Outbreak to try and avoid spreading disease. A facility testing positive often requires it to be quarantined and destroyed. It's on the same level as Salmonella and Listeria in manufacturing facilities.
The last 6 months have suddenly seen new viruses not previously seen and to be honest, I'm not sure the industry knows what they are yet. But those viruses have put a huge hurt on the industry and the pricing seen in retailers and restaurants.
I'm surprised bird flew and similar don't get more exposure in conservation circles (ducks unlimited, ect.) because it has to be taking a toll on wild populations based on what it's doing to production facilities. This is first I've heard of mammals though.
(personal opinion) I have a feeling we're about to find out that what we believed to be the case with disease knowledge isn't correct. CWD, Listeria, Bird Flew, Anthrax and the like and the way the diseases / prions can live in the soil long and come back is scary as hell.