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Recent U.S. Avian Influenza Outbreak is a Concern For Public Health

A contagious and deadly form of avian influenza has spread across multiple states in recent weeks. The highly infectious virus has killed many farmed poultry and wild birds.

Since early January, the virus began killing chickens in northeast Canada, and it has made its way through factory farms and migrating ducks, geese, and swans from Florida to Maine. The virus has also been making its way through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, with 300 outbreaks in 19 European countries in the last few weeks. In Israel, thousands of cranes have been killed at a nature reserve.

It has also made thousands of turkeys sick in Kentucky and Indiana, which began a mass slaughter of the birds and import bans. Officials were shocked at how efficiently and quickly this virus is killing the animals, saying the animals are dying within hours of the initial infection. In Indiana, according to NY Times, the state officials have already euthanized more than 100,000 birds.

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How to Capture the $80 Million Ground Pork Opportunity | 2026 Retail Trends

Video: How to Capture the $80 Million Ground Pork Opportunity | 2026 Retail Trends

Meat is having a moment, and ground pork is perfectly positioned to help you capture new category growth.

In this business intelligence deep-dive, National Pork Board experts Bailey Morrell and Rick Smith break down the latest consumer behaviors, retail trends, and an $80 million incremental retail opportunity in ground pork.

Watch to learn how expanding your ground pork offerings, utilizing proper fat-lean ratio labeling, and building a dedicated "grinds set" can attract Gen Z and Millennial shoppers while driving "center of the plate" profitability.

we cover:

• Insights from the 2026 Power of Meat presentation.

• Why ground pork is the "gateway meat" for younger, high-value shoppers.

• How adding just two new ground pork SKUs can drive incremental sales.

• Actionable merchandising strategies, including the right fat-lean ratios for specific recipes.