Chronicle Editorial

Happy Mother's Day
 
     This weekend ushers in another installment of Mother's Day – a day in which we pay tribute to those special ladies that put up with our guff and keep us in line no matter the circumstance or situation.
     Our mothers deserve more recognition than one measly day. They brought us into this world after all, and that's certainly no small feat. Over the years they put in thankless hours raising us, feeding us and worrying about us. Their guidance and support shaped us into the people we are today, and we owe them our most sincerest of thanks for their unwavering faith and unconditional love.
     Take the time to celebrate Mother's Day with your mom this weekend. She's definitely worth it, and she deserves some credit for all her hard work and dedication over the years.
     Happy Mother's Day!
 
Bird flu lands crippling blow to ag industry
 
     Iowa was dealt a bad hand recently following the discovery of the bird flu virus in commercial poultry facilities across the state. Each day brings with it more bad news, and the situation has reached near epidemic levels. It’s been a devastating two weeks for our state’s agriculture sector and any substantial relief seems a long ways out.
     On Monday state officials announced a commercial laying operation in Wright County was infected with the virus. That’s a little too close for comfort, and the bird flu is bound to jump across the Franklin County border sooner than later due to its aggressive nature. Though the poultry industry has taken extreme measures to ensure bio-security at these facilities, the virus has continued ravaging both turkeys and chickens in multiple states throughout the Midwest. It appears the bird flu is going to run its course at an alarming rate despite strengthened precautions.
     This situation promises to affect the local ag economy in one way or another. Grain prices might slip, workers could lose jobs and the price of poultry products could escalate. The severity of the situation was pushed to the forefront last week when the governor declared a state of emergency. The proclamation activates resources and authorizes the use of special supplies, equipment and personnel to deal with the situation head on. We might not know how to stop the bird flu, but at least we’re trying.
     There’s not much opinion to levy on the situation. Around 20 million birds have been euthanized, and that number only promises to grow. It’s extremely unfortunate the bird flu made its way to our area and we can only hope it’s a short-term inconvenience. However, it’s bound to create repercussions on the poultry industry, the local workforce and grain producers. When a large sector of our economy gets hit with a devastating epidemic like this, it’s going to have a far-reaching effect on multiple areas of commerce.
     The only positive takeaway from the situation is that humans can’t contract this strain of bird flu. It poses no threat to poultry meat or egg products, which is good. The last thing we need is a public health crisis on top of an already severe situation.
     For now, we’ll have to wait and see if the bird flu spreads to Franklin County and elsewhere. Iowa is the largest egg producing state in the country, and this outbreak will affect both consumers and producers across the United States. It seems it’s going to take a while to ride this one out.