Bill Aims to Protect Texas Livestock from Screwworm Threat

A bill introduced in Congress aims to safeguard livestock and wildlife in Texas and the U.S. from the New World screwworm, a destructive pest that once devastated ranches across the southern U.S.

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) authored the New World Screwworm Preparedness Act to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a comprehensive study on screwworm surveillance and prevention efforts. The bill also requires USDA to recommend improvements that would strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to a potential outbreak...

Brazil Confirms New HPAI Outbreak in Backyard Poultry

On Saturday, June 7, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock confirmed the detection of bird flu in a backyard flock from the municipality of Campinápolis, in the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil.

The Official Veterinary Service closed the property and collected samples for laboratory analysis, which confirmed the outbreak. This marks the fourth case of avian influenza detected in backyard poultry in Brazil.

On Sunday, June 8, eradication measures and surveillance actions began within a 10 km radius of the outbreak...

Volatility Defines 2025 in Food and Agriculture Markets – How do You Navigate It?

2025 has been a year marked by uncertainty in the food and agriculture sector. Volatility is the defining characteristic, with a cascade of global events disrupting pricing, availability and trade dynamics. From geopolitical tensions and severe weather events to animal epidemics and macroeconomic shifts, commodity markets have become increasingly difficult to navigate for buyers and sellers alike.

“The key challenge for businesses at the moment is having to navigate different markets going in different directions,” said Tom Bundgaard, VP of Price Forecasting...

USDA and Mexico Invest in Joint Effort to Eradicate New World Screwworm

On a recent call, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brook L. Rollins and Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Julio Berdegué Sacristán, discussed ongoing efforts to contain the threat of New World Screwworm (NWS) south of the US-Mexico border. The USDA shared an update on the partnership via its website.

As part of this effort, the USDA announced a $21 million investment to renovate an existing fruit fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico. The goal is to produce an additional...

The Bird Flu “Outbreak in Montenegro Is Completely Contained,” Brazil Says

“We are on the fifth working day after the farm was completely disinfected, and 15 days have passed since the outbreak was identified. I can safely assure you that the outbreak in Montenegro is completely contained,” Carlos Fávaro, Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, said on Tuesday in a public hearing at the Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Committee (CRA).

The hearing was to discuss the “zoosanitary emergency” resulting from bird flu, which has resulted in over 60 countries limiting some or all Brazilian poultry products after...

HPAI H5N1 Virus in Dairy Cattle – What We Know

In March 2024, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1), commonly referred to as bird flu, was confirmed in domestic US livestock for the first time in a dairy operation in Texas. Since then, the virus has spread to 1,072 dairy operations across 17 states, raising widespread uncertainty throughout the dairy and livestock markets. Industry participants have raised concerns about the outbreak's potential impact on consumer perception and demand for dairy and meat products, though government agencies reiterate that the national food supply remains safe. Expana is closely monitoring the situation...

House Agriculture Committee Advances Legislation with Key NCBA Priorities

Today, the House Agriculture Committee passed their initial reconciliation bill, which contains several NCBA supported provisions that strengthen our defense against foreign animal disease and support producers who have lost cattle due to predator depredation or natural disasters. The legislation now moves to the full House of Representatives for further consideration.

“Cattle farmers and ranchers across the country have continued advocating for tools that protect the cattle industry from foreign animal disease and help producers recover from the loss of their cattle, whether by predator...

49th Executive Conference Highlights Resilience and Future Outlook of Animal Protein Sector

This year’s Executive Conference held in Las Vegas from May 5–7 for senior leaders in the animal protein sector, was an informative show of the industry’s and what we can expect from the protein sector in the coming years.  

“We feed the ever-growing needs of the entire population,” said Russ Whitman, Expana’s Director of Market Reporting, in his opening remarks. 

Despite challenges related to animal health, regulatory shifts, and geopolitical tensions, the industry has demonstrated remarkable perseverance. 

ANALYSIS: Turkey Shortage Deepens: March Stocks Drop Below 2022 Levels

The total volume of turkey in cold storage has fallen below 2022 to reach a new all-time low in March. Since October 2024, there has been an ongoing trend of year-over-year (YoY) declines in the total amount of frozen turkey. This is largely attributed to low production figures and a relatively high number of disease-related issues. The total number of turkeys processed has been at an all-time low since November 2024, and this year's year-to-date (YTD) HPAI detections are at the second-highest value on record. Additionally, market discussions have suggested that avian metapneumovirus has been responsible for substantial increases in mortality...

The Retail Rundown: Grocers Leverage Seasonal Trends; Inflation Update

As temperatures rise across much of the US, grocers are highlighting seasonal offerings for springtime occasions and grilling essentials.

Retailers are refining their marketing strategies to align with shifting demand, appealing to sports fans to boost traffic in the meat department. However, securing lower year-over-year protein prices remains a challenge, as factors like animal disease continue to affect availability across key categories.

The wholesale chicken market is gaining traction with baseball season on the horizon, driving demand for boneless items. Expana reports that buyers are scrambling to secure supply...

Belgium Detects First Bird Flu Cases in Cats

Belgium has reported its first cases of H5 avian flu in domestic cats, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (AFSCA) confirmed last week.

The virus was detected in two outdoor cats owned by a poultry farmer in East Flanders, where an avian influenza outbreak struck the farm’s poultry in mid-February. Officials suggest that these animals were exposed by scavenging bird carcasses or consuming contaminated eggs.

David Clarinval, Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy, and Agriculture, said: "This is the first...

Establishing a New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Barrier Zone in Mexico

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is adjusting its New World screwworm (NWS) sterile fly dispersal strategy to push this devastating pest away from the United States and back toward the previously established biological barrier in Panama.  APHIS is shifting its dispersal efforts to Mexico—the northernmost point of the outbreak—using our scientifically proven eradication model. We successfully implemented this approach in previous eradication efforts, and it remains the most effective strategy...

Zoetis Receives Conditional License from USDA for Avian Influenza Vaccine

Zoetis today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) has issued the company a conditional license for its Avian Influenza Vaccine, H5N2 Subtype, Killed Virus. The vaccine is labelled for use in chickens. The conditional license was granted on the demonstration of safety, purity, and reasonable expectation of efficacy based on serology data.

Zoetis is committed to supporting poultry producers with scientific solutions for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The decision to vaccinate commercial poultry flocks against HPAI rests solely with...

IPPE 2025 Live: HPAI's Growing Impact Prompts Urgent Action in Pet Food Industry

At the AFIA Pet Food Conference, held alongside the IPPE event in Atlanta, Leah Wilkinson, Director of Public Policy and Education for the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), highlighted the growing threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which has expanded beyond poultry to affect various mammal species, including cats and dogs.

"This has traditionally been a wild bird and poultry issue," Wilkinson said. "But in the past year, we've seen HPAI move into cows, field mice, skunks, raccoons, seals, dolphins, polar bears, tigers, lions, and