USDA plans major investment in bird flu vaccine: Georgia farmer voices support

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Tenn. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says they plan to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to study a bird flu vaccine.

We spoke with a Georgia farmer Friday about what a vaccine could mean for the future of the poultry industry.

Opponents say a vaccine could cause mutations in birds and potentially contaminate the chicken supply for humans.

But one expert we spoke with says mutations are not a large concern, and that chickens are often already vaccinated against other diseases.

"I know these people need it. They can't help what's happened to them. So I do try to do something."

Sandra Sarrell hatches her own egg-laying chicks on her farm in Georgia.

She takes the eggs she collects to a local church.

"I give them to them so they can take them to people who are home bound."

Sarrell says all her chickens have been tested by the state and are healthy.

But she says the bird flu crisis among U.S. farmers worries her.

"We need the vaccine to keep our chickens from dying left and right or having to be destroyed."

Dr. Tom Tabler, an extension poultry specialist with the University of Tennessee, says the mass killing of chickens is not solving the problem.

It's only causing egg prices to rise.

"$52 million of $100 million table egg layers were lost between October of 24 and February of 25."

He says a vaccine could help.

"It's not going to stop until we find something, some way, of keeping birds from getting this."

Those against a vaccine in the poultry industry worry about mutations of the virus and a negative impact on exports.

But Dr. Tabler says...

"Chickens get vaccinated for Newcastle disease, bronchitis, coccidiosis, marriage disease. We vaccinate lots of animals."

As far as exports...

"We do not export a whole lot of table eggs or turkey meat in this country compared to the amount of broiler meat that we export."

Other local chicken owners, like Stephanie Firey in the Lookout Valley, says she'd like to see a more natural solution instead of a vaccine.

"The chickens that are resistant to the virus could help the flock evolve. It could be a key part of developing resistance against the bird flu naturally."

Sarrell says she does not currently vaccinate her chicks. But she says she'd consider using a vaccine that's been tested, to protect her flock and continue helping people in need.

"That would be great to have the security to know that they would not be able to get that disease."