Millions of dead birds: Industrial poultry in crisis

Bird flu has dominated the region’s news for the past few months as it sweeps the Midwest killing millions of chickens and turkeys in its path. Industrial poultry production in Minnesota and other states have been hit by a deadly strain of avian influenza A (H5N2) with the sources still unknown. To protect a 265.6 billion-dollar-a-year industry, the poultry sector has laid blame upon farm workers and wild waterfowl. In actuality, H5N2 demonstrates the sector’s dysfunctional economy of scale. Industrial poultry production survives solely by externalizing the damage it produces to consumers, workers, governments and the environment. In a market economy, the effect would hit a company’s margins ending the industry as we know it. Dr. Robert G. Wallace will speak about the mechanisms of poultry's bioeconomics and how they will select for deadly disease with the potential to kill millions of consumers worldwide in a shorter timeframe than anticipated.

Speaker:

Dr. Robert G. Wallace, a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Global Studies at the University of Minnesota, will be leading our discussion. Dr. Wallace has written extensively on the poultry industry and the dangers it poses to human and animal health.

IATP presents a number of public conversations about current events related to agriculture and trade at our office in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis. Light refreshments, including Peace Coffee, will be provided.

Parking is available behind our office with access from 1st Avenue. We are also conveniently located within a few blocks of several Metro Transit buses (Routes 2, 11, 17 and 18) and less than a mile from the Midtown Greenway bike trail (exit at Nicollet Avenue).

Registration encouraged but not required.

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