A bird flu outbreak has been reported at a second commercial poultry farm in Georgia, which confines more broiler chickens on factory farms than any other state. This follows news of the first U.S. human death from bird flu earlier this month, along with outbreaks on commercial poultry operations in dozens of states, and on cattle operations in 16 states.

New Food & Water Watch research, available soon, will explore how corporations profit from this pandemic threat, while their factory farm system magnifies disease risk. The report will be the latest installment in a series examining the Economic Cost of Food Monopolies, following research on the retail grocery, pork, and dairy industries.

Factory farms create the ideal breeding grounds for infectious diseases like bird flu. The vast majority of U.S. broiler chickens (78%) and U.S. egg laying hens (75%) are raised on factory farms, averaging over 175,000 and 850,000 animals per operation, respectively. Dairy cows, beef cattle and swine are raised in similarly cramped conditions.

This tightly-concentrated factory farm system means that outbreaks on a handful of operations can precipitate skyrocketing prices across the country, including in regions without bird flu outbreaks or significant egg shortages. And while consumers see egg prices skyrocket, food corporations like Cal-Maine, the nation’s largest egg producer, rake in record profits.

Food & Water Watch Research Director Amanda Starbuck issued the following statement:

“The worsening bird flu outbreak is laying bare the cracks in our consolidated food system. Bad policy has handed food production to enormous corporations more concerned with profits than providing sustainable, affordable food. As bird flu outbreaks spread, consumers are losing out with high prices at the store, and a disease risk no one wanted.

“Factory farms are hotbeds for the next pandemic, and the corporations that control them will stop at nothing to retain their stranglehold on our food system. Any real action to stop the spread of bird flu must include a commitment to moving off factory farms.”