Bird Flu Halts U.S. Chicken Sales

A virulent form of bird flu has been discovered in Arkansas, prompting Mexico and up to 40 other countries to impose new import restrictions on U.S. chicken. Arkansas is home to Tyson Foods, the largest chicken company in the world. Economists say the restrictions are likely to hurt poultry farmers because the virus—a highly pathogenic H5N2 avian flu that does not pose a threat to humans—is unlikely to kill enough chickens to offset the drop in demand. Kansas has ordered a quarantine on its poultry-producing counties to attempt to prevent contamination from a strain found in Missouri.