AVIAN FLU ISSUES

There is an issue right now effecting the egg states, but it could have an impact on us in the west too.

Since the outbreak of avian influenza‚ or bird flu, the US has seen more than three million birds infected nationwide.

There are a couple of issues, the first of which is birds that carry the disease migrating thru Idaho now, and spreading the disease. The other has to do with the price of eggs as we head into the holiday baking season.

USDA veterinary medical officer, Chrislyn Wood Nicholson tells us how the outbreak started...

What this means to you - especially if you raise poultry - is you need to know what to look for to know if your birds are infected.

You can find more information about the Avain Flu thru the US Department of Agriculture Website.

The other issue I mentioned... The cost of eggs heading into the holiday season... The cost of eggs are going up - and we have already seen that happening at the local level.

And there is one more problem when it comes to keep egg prices down. Laws that changed animal confinement standards in California have also raised the price of eggs dramatically upon adoption.