Hickman’s Family Farms Faces Major Chicken Loss Due to Bird Flu

Categories: Arizona Business NewsArizona State News

Empty hen houses reflect the severe impact of the bird flu outbreak.

News Summary

Hickman’s Family Farms has lost approximately six million chickens to a bird flu outbreak, affecting 95% of its Arizona chicken population. With supply challenges, the company is exploring alternative suppliers to maintain egg availability. This unprecedented loss may lead to staff reductions among its 850 employees and likely increase local egg prices. Animal rights advocates urge the farm to adopt sustainable practices during this recovery period, while the company calls for government-approved poultry vaccines to prevent future outbreaks.

Arizona – Hickman’s Family Farms, one of the largest egg producers in the United States, announced on Friday that it has lost approximately six million chickens to a recent outbreak of bird flu, which constitutes nearly 95% of its chicken population in Arizona. The company’s president and CEO, Glenn Hickman, reported that symptoms began appearing in hens at one of the farms approximately two weeks before the announcement, leading to testing that confirmed the presence of the bird flu virus.

Despite efforts to contain the outbreak by restricting traffic and personnel movement between farms, the virus managed to spread to additional locations. This situation marks the first time in the company’s 81-year history that it has been unable to meet 100% of customer demand for eggs. As a response, Hickman’s Family Farms is actively seeking alternative suppliers to ensure that local stores and restaurants continue to receive egg supply.

The loss of such a significant portion of the chicken population is expected to lead to a reduction in staff, affecting the company’s approximately 850 employees, including both contract workers and state inmates. However, the specific number of individuals set to be impacted remains unclear. The repopulation of the farms is anticipated to take nearly two years, significantly affecting the local egg market during that time.

Animal rights organization Animal Outlook has responded to the production downturn with a call for Hickman’s Family Farms to transition to more sustainable agricultural practices. The group views the slowdown in production as a victory for animal welfare, urging the company to consider the ethics of continuing animal agriculture during this period of recovery.

In light of these developments, Hickman stressed the importance of having access to a government-approved vaccine for poultry to prevent future outbreaks of bird flu. Should the farm’s pullets had been vaccinated prior to the outbreak, there is a possibility that the extensive losses could have been avoided. The company is looking into vaccination efforts, considering successful models from European countries that have started vaccinating their poultry against avian flu.

The repercussions of this outbreak extend beyond affected employees and farm operations. The anticipated reduction in egg supply is expected to lead to a considerable increase in egg prices, particularly in the Phoenix area, where Hickman’s Family Farms is the largest supplier. Current prices for eggs in Arizona are averaging around $6 per dozen, reflecting rising costs following previous outbreaks of bird flu that have similarly affected supply chains nationwide.

The ongoing avian flu situation began in February 2022 in Maryland and has since escalated into a national crisis, impacting farms across the country. Hickman expressed frustration with the operational adjustments required due to the outbreak, which have disrupted the long-standing family business that has been operational since 1944. As preventive measures are implemented to control the virus, vaccination of poultry flocks remains a primary objective for the company.

The spread of the bird flu virus is serious; when illness is detected in a single bird, entire farms often face depopulation measures to mitigate further transmission. This grim outcome emphasizes the need for urgent action and strategies to safeguard poultry health moving forward, as Hickman’s Family Farms navigates these unprecedented challenges to its operations.