Massive layoff: Michigan egg producer Announces layoffs at 5 facilities due to bird flu outbreak.

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Michigan egg producer Herbuck's Poultry Ranch has issued a WARN notice to the state Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, announcing the layoff of approximately 400 employees due to the spread of avian influenza. The layoffs, which began on Wednesday(May 15th) , are occurring across five locations and include a range of positions such as accounting, coordinator, clerk, feed mill, human resources, manager, sanitation, and supervisor.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has noted that avian influenza can spread through contact with infected poultry, equipment, and even a caretaker's clothes and shoes. However, health officials maintain that the risk of the virus for humans remains low. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported one human case this year, following exposure to infected dairy cows, with the last human case reported in 2022.

To mitigate the spread of avian influenza, MDARD issued guidance earlier this month, effective May 8, requiring all Michigan dairy farms and poultry operations to implement several biosecurity measures. These include:

• Designating a biosecurity manager
• Establishing a line of separation to limit access points
• Implementing cleaning and disinfection procedures at access points for both vehicles and individuals
• Maintaining a logbook of all vehicles and individuals crossing the access points, which must be available for examination upon request by MDARD

Herbuck's Poultry Ranch is actively monitoring the situation and hopes to rehire many of the affected employees as conditions improve and production can resume.