Avian Flu & the Organic Model

With the recent avian flu outbreak affecting the broiler and laying hen industries, we are more assured than ever that our production models are in tune with nature. The H1N5 virus currently circulating and spreading in and ever widening circle throughout the mid-west and mid-Atlantic states isn’t the first bird flu to make it’s rounds. While the industry is quick to blame it on wild fowl or whatever other factor they can come up with, we feel they make themselves vulnerable to disease due to extremely unnatural production models. Number one, their birds do not have the benefit of fresh air and sunshine like ours do, second, they have no access to greens/pasture and insects, and third, their immunity is depressed due to the constant use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics and growth hormones. While our poultry is constantly exposed to and mingles with wild fowl, we do not foresee this flu as a threat even if it should arrive and affect the conventional poultry industry in this area.