Farms.com Home   News

Food Costs are Already High. Bird Flu Could Make Things Worse.

The news has been filled with stories this year of poultry woes, from the struggles of workers processing our chicken in unsafe conditions to the challenges of restaurants and schools getting the chicken they need. And of course, there’s the rapidly rising cost of food that we’re all dealing with at the grocery store. (Sticker shock has reached new heights in Hawaii, where a friend of mine recently found an organic chicken for an eye-popping $8.99 a pound—$48 for the whole bird.) If things haven’t seemed bad enough, avian influenza is about to make it worse. Bird flu is raging in Asia and Europe, writes Bloomberg, with more than 40 countries experiencing outbreaks since May. The United Kingdom is currently grappling with its biggest-ever outbreak, and more than a million birds have been culled since November in Poland. All these outbreaks are likely to put more pressure on production, affect costs, disrupt U.S. trade, and lessen the availability of free-range eggs in Europe.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Shearing Delay Leads To Kingston 4H Sheep Show!

Video: Shearing Delay Leads To Kingston 4H Sheep Show!

What started as a disappointment turned into a day full of surprises, fun, and celebration as we leave Ewetopia Farms behind and head out to the Kingston Fair to watch the 4H sheep show

Today’s vlog was supposed to be another sheep shearing day here at Ewetopia Farms, but when our shearer had to cancel, we suddenly found ourselves with an unexpected free day. Lucky for us, the Kingston Fair was happening — and some of our own sheep (and friends) were competing!

We brought along our shearing helper and headed to the fairgrounds to cheer on the 4H kids and see how our sheep did in the show. From last-minute preparations and sheep showmanship to market lamb competitions and ewe classes, we take you behind the scenes of what it’s really like at a country fair.

We couldn’t be prouder — our girls walked away with wins in both showmanship and breeding ewe classes! Afterwards, we toured the fair, met a beekeeper with fascinating insights, admired other livestock shows, and wrapped up the evening with motocross stunts and a demolition derby!

Sometimes farm life throws curveballs — but today, it gave us the chance to celebrate community, our sheep, and the next generation of shepherds.