Chicken Industry Plans to Test Flocks (Bad Chicken - Mess You Up!)

[meisje]

WASHINGTON - Chicken companies intend to test every chicken flock in the United States for bird flu before slaughter, an industry group said Thursday.

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The National Chicken Council said companies that make up more than 90 percent of the nation's production have signed up for testing and that more are expected to follow. The U.S. produced more than 9.5 billion chickens in 2005.

The council didn't release names of companies in its voluntary testing program, but spokesman Richard Lobb said, "Practically all the big ones are in it."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060105/ap_on_he_me/bird_flu_tests

[uppityperson]

1. Will test 11 out of every flock

Family members in Europe are quite worried about the avian flu approaching their country. Figure that backyard flocks will not be allowed in another yr due to it, no live chickens for sale in local markets and poultry meat price has gone way up recently as supply drops.

[Dora]

2. Yet, testing for mad cow is discouraged. n/t

[gulfcoastliberal]

4. Not only discouraged - but actively prohibited.

I recall ther was a smaller operation that wanted to test every single cow so they could continue their Japanese exports - and big beef got the FDA (I think) to step in and ban them from doing it!

[Dora]

5. I suspected as much, but was unsure. I'm glad you posted. n/t

[Shakespeare]

8. USDA, that is.

Why there's not been more coverage and more outrage over that particular story just stumps me. We've gone organic, too.

[fed-up]

3. Who cares about the level of anti-biotics, hormones or what they feed

these birds. Why aren't consumers more worried about long-term damage from factory raised "cheap" chickens?

I got terrible stomach cramps if I ate cheap chicken and have gone with organic, hormone, anti-biotic free for the past few years.

[Ezlivin]

6. You go organic, you don't go back

My wife and I switched to organic foods over a year ago. The taste is incredible! We love the chicken and beef we get, especially knowing that they are free of all that crap.

[flvegan]

7. What about eggs? Considering H5N1 can be spread via

not only contaminated poultry and contact with infected birds, but also through undercooked poultry, can it transfer from eating the eggs of infected birds? Considering the intensive confinement in a battery hen situation, I'd think it'd spread like wildfire, and you'd probably never be able to separate the eggs out.

Also, duck hunters...beware.