Bird flu’s expanding footprint raises new red flags for livestock producers (Civil Eats): The current wave of highly pathogenic avian influenza is no longer behaving like a traditional poultry-only disease. The virus has become deeply entrenched in wild bird populations and has spread into dozens of species, allowing it to circulate year-round instead of fading after seasonal outbreaks. This expanded reach has created more opportunities for the virus to evolve and jump into new hosts.
The most significant development is the virus’s spread into dairy cattle, a shift researchers had long considered unlikely. Since early 2024, more than a thousand dairy herds across multiple states have been affected, with the virus showing an ability to linger in milking systems, wastewater, and manure — raising the chances of repeated transmission. While cattle do not typically die from the disease, persistent viral shedding increases the possibility of onward spread to poultry, wildlife, and farmworkers.
Human health experts emphasize that the risk to the general public remains low, but infections among dairy workers highlight a growing concern: the more the virus moves between species, the greater the chance it could adapt in ways that make it easier for people to catch or spread. Scientists say stronger monitoring, better worker protections, and more transparent federal data will be critical to containing the virus before it becomes a broader public-health threat.
Tariff cuts offer little relief as fertilizer prices stay stubbornly high (Agri-Pulse): While President Trump has removed tariffs on several major fertilizer products — including urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and key phosphate fertilizers — farmers shouldn’t expect a quick drop in prices. Analysts say the tariff rollback removes one cost pressure, but it doesn’t fix the global supply shortages and trade shifts that have been pushing fertilizer higher for the past year. Countries like India and Saudi Arabia continue to pull large volumes into their own markets, leaving fewer tons available for U.S. buyers even without the import duties.
Phosphate fertilizers such as DAP and MAP remain especially tight, with demand abroad outpacing available supply. Nitrogen products face similar constraints because global production still hasn’t caught up, and freight disruptions continue to add to costs. As a result, retailers may not be able to pass savings along quickly — or at all — despite the policy change.
For growers planning 2026 input purchases, the bottom line is that fertilizer prices are likely to remain elevated heading into the next production cycle. The tariff cuts may help prevent additional price spikes, but most experts say sustained price relief will depend on global production increases and improved trade flows rather than U.S. policy alone.