Bird Flu is found in wild birds. When it spreads to poultry operations, the broods must be disposed of, causing economic loss and raising chicken and egg prices. When the flu spreads from chickens to people, a flu epidemic can occur. Federal funding cuts have eliminated testing and training for bird flu, endangering our economy and health.
Although the risk to human health from bird flu is usually low, a mutation that allows for spread between people is always possible. Last year the flu jumped from birds to mammals, infecting hundreds of dairy cows across 17 states. During this same outbreak, at least 70 people in the US were infected and one person died.
What Is the Bird Flu?
Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a contagious viral infection caused by influenza type A viruses. These viruses primarily affect avian species—especially domesticated poultry such as chickens, turkeys, and ducks – but can occasionally jump to mammals, including humans. Wild birds, particularly migratory waterfowl, serve as natural reservoirs for the virus, often carrying and shedding it without showing symptoms. These wild birds are a critical transmission vector, introducing the virus into commercial poultry farms either through direct contact or indirectly via contaminated materials like feed, equipment, and water.
Why Should Georgia Care About Bird Flu?
The impact of avian influenza is significant—it has tangible economic and social consequences, especially in agricultural states like Georgia. Georgia is the leading poultry-producing state in the U.S., with an industry that employs nearly 100,000 residents and contributes more than $4 billion to the state’s economy annually. A confirmed bird flu outbreak in a commercial poultry operation triggers mandatory depopulation protocols. Infected flocks must be euthanized and cannot be processed for consumption or sale. These outbreaks result in devastating losses for farmers, processors, and the wider agricultural economy.
The virus’s impact has not been limited to farms or the food supply. In 2024, dozens of domestic cats were confirmed to have contracted bird flu, likely after exposure to infected birds or raw poultry products. Though no known cat-to-human transmission has occurred, the infection of companion animals underscores the virus’s evolving threat and its ability to cross species barriers. While the risk of widespread human transmission of bird flu remains relatively low, public health experts have warned of the virus’s potential to mutate. A mutated strain that gains the ability to spread efficiently among humans could pose a significant global health threat. This concern escalated in 2024, when an avian influenza strain crossed the species barrier and began infecting cattle. Hundreds of dairy cows across 17 states were infected in what marked the first documented spread of bird flu among U.S. cattle. That same outbreak led to confirmed infections in at least 70 people nationwide, with one reported fatality. Sporadic outbreaks continued in Georgia throughout 2024 and into early 2025, with the last reported poultry case occurring in January 2025.
A False Sense of Security?
At first glance, the absence of newly reported cases in Georgia might seem like a victory. However, this apparent lull may be misleading. Starting in early 2025, federal surveillance and testing programs experienced sharp reductions following government budget cuts. Trackers and databases were taken offline.
Many of the databases where cases were listed have since been put back online, questions have been raised about the veracity of some of the information. For example, no new human cases have been reported since January 2025, despite 70 people being infected in the 12 months prior. Is it possible that this is simply because poultry and dairy workers suddenly collectively stopped getting the bird flu? Yes. Is it also possible that conformity to testing recommendations has eroded in the months since government case reporting services temporarily went offline? Yes. Is it also possible that there is no confirmations going on because those labs have been shut down? Yes. All of these are possibly true. Infections could have declined, but if testing and reporting have degraded—especially after a period when official systems went offline—then the absence of new cases might reflect blind spots in surveillance, not actual disease elimination. Without robust testing and transparent reporting, it is impossible to determine whether the decrease in reported cases reflects a real decline in infections—or a decline in our ability to detect them.
Compounding the issue, the federal government recently canceled a $766 million contract with Moderna that would have funded the development of next-generation influenza vaccines, including those targeting avian strains.
Training programs designed to educate poultry and livestock workers on best practices for outbreak prevention and containment have been suspended. These workshops would have provided farm workers and veterinarians with personal protective equipment training, giving a vital safety net for those at greatest risk of infection. No official explanation was given regarding the cancellation of this program. These decisions leave workers and producers with fewer tools and less support in the face of future outbreaks.
Conclusion
The bird flu remains a complex and evolving threat to public health, food security, and economic stability—particularly in poultry-dominant states like Georgia. While the risk to humans remains low for now, the recent mammalian jump and gaps in public health infrastructure are causes for concern. Continued investment in surveillance, testing, worker education, and vaccine development is critical for managing and mitigating future outbreaks. Georgia stakeholders—both public and private—must remain vigilant to ensure the health of our people, our animals, and our economy.