Avian Influenza Effect

Avian Influenza and Its Effect on the Economy The ultimate goal of agriculture in the past, and as of now, was to suffice the people’s demand for food. As the population increased, farmers had to figure out how to meet this new demand, and decrease costs of production while maintaining the same level of productivity. This was no easy task, but over time, farmers, with their improved agricultural methods, brought about enormous yield gains. Horse drawn plows, mowers, railroads, cultivators, planters, cultivators, and refrigeration made life much easier for farmers. With these innovations, new markets, or a medium that allows buyers and sellers of goods or services to interact to facilitate an exchange, were created in cities all across North America. Expanding production to meet growing demand was facilitated by the federal government’s Department of Agriculture, which specifically focused on increasing crop yields. This is supported by Mankiw’s Seventh Principle which states that governments can sometimes improve market incomes through government intervention to promote efficiency and avoid market failures. Additionally, new and improved methods of transportation allowed for year-round shipments of fresh and frozen meat products, boosting sales immediately. This scenario is beneficial for both consumers and producers, until …show more content…
Soon after, it traveled through Washington and Oregon and then moved towards the Mid-West. In Minnesota, the center of the turkey industry, the virus spread furiously, expanding to Iowa as well, which is one of the largest hubs of the egg industry. Recently reported losses in poultry production and related businesses due to avian influenza are estimated at $310 million in Greater Minnesota (Sandve 1). The reason the virus spread so quickly was because the farms house millions of birds at a time, making the spread of disease a very possible