Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch CEO Greg Herbruck shares how his business has been affected by bird flu.
Egg prices are continuing to rise, reaching levels not seen since inflation hit a high of 9% in 2022, hitting the wallets of consumers as well as America’s farmers.
Outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, are primarily to blame. Entire commercial flocks, consisting of more than 1,000 chickens, have been wiped out as a result of the virus.
Greg Herbruck, a third-generation farmer and the CEO of Michigan egg production company Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, told FOX Business that the virus wreaked havoc on all three of the company’s farms, located about five miles from each other, forcing him to cull his entire supply.
The industry has been fighting bird flu since the outbreaks began in 2022. For Herbruck, it was the day before Easter 2024 when the company’s chickens contracted bird flu – a time he vividly recalls.
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“It’s just like somebody takes a baseball bat to your gut,” said Herbruck, who wants officials to approve and fast track a vaccine that farmers can use to protect their flocks. “I’m just an egg farmer out here trying to say, ‘Hey, please, we need some help to fight this battle.’”
Herbruck said he went weeks without sleep, and by the time the third farm was infected, one of the company’s executives was crying in his office.
“It was just awful… just the nightmare of that many dead chickens,” he said.
Greg Herbruck, a third-generation farmer and the CEO of Michigan egg production company Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, told FOX Business that the virus wreaked havoc on all three of the company’s farms. (Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch)
This marks the fourth year that the virus has crippled farmers, with outbreaks continuing to emerge into early 2025. After the virus is detected, farms are instructed to kill their entire flocks to eradicate the disease, which significantly disrupts supply and raises the cost of eggs in the U.S. food system.
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The process to rebuild the operation is not easy, as it takes several months to get to a point where a farm can start producing large eggs again.
After getting clearance from the Agriculture Department, Herbruck said it takes about five months for a chick to reach maturity and to start laying a good number of large eggs.
Eggs at Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch. Michigan’s largest egg producer, specializing in organic and cage-free eggs. (Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch)
To expedite the process, farms purchase mature hens to begin laying eggs while simultaneously raising younger chicks. It can take up to two years for a farm to return to full production. In June 2024, Herbruck said the company began reintroducing birds to its farms, but are still operating at only 70% of their pre-outbreak capacity.
Meanwhile, his workers have been taking extra precautions. For instance, they are transported to a remote area where they can change clothes. Some workers are even required to change twice to minimize the risk of contamination.
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Herbruck expressed growing concerns as the virus has now been shown to infect mammals. In March 2024, the virus was first detected in cows and has since infected 968 dairy herds across 16 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency last month reported 66 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S. since 2024, including one fatality.
Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, Michigan’s largest egg producer, specializes in organic and cage-free eggs. (Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch)
Humans can contract bird flu through contact with an infected animal’s body fluids, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Infection can also occur by inhaling small dust particles from animal habitats or by touching body fluids and then getting them into the eyes, nose or mouth.
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However, Herbruck is more concerned if the disease is airborne, which has not yet been determined.
“It’s not even possible to filter out that virus or to disinfect the air. These barns that may have 150,000 birds, we typically change the air every 30 to 40 seconds… so the idea that we might be able to somehow disinfect that air is not even reasonable,” he said.
In addition to the protocols farms are already taking, Herbruck said the tool that is still missing is a vaccine. While it is not perfect, “it’s something that can help us,” he said.
