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Mega-Farms Are Driving the Threat of Bird Flu

In the West, where herds of thousands of cattle are common, researchers are seeing cases rise at poultry and dairy operations. More than 50 workers have contracted the virus.

Further north and west, in the San Joaquin Valley—the heart of the state’s dairy industry—the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu, has rippled through the massive herds that provide most of the country’s milk. “Animal production acts like a connectivity for the virus,” said Paula Ribeiro Prist, a conservation scientist with the EcoHealth Alliance, a not-for-profit group that focuses on research into pandemics. Farmworker advocates say the number of cases in humans is likely underreported, largely because the immigrant and non-English speaking workforce on farms could be reluctant to seek help or may not be informed about taking precautions.

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