At the National Feed Manufacturing Congress , which took place in Guadalajara, Arturo Calderón, CEO of the National Poultry Producers Association (UNA) raised concern regarding Avian Influenza’s “outdated” regulations. He said, “One of the things that’s hampering the Mexican poultry industry, he said, is that regulations haven’t evolved at the biological pace of poultry disease. This is especially the case of for Avian Influenza.”

63% of the animal protein (excluding dairy) consumed in Mexico comes from poultry. This equates to 33.5 kg of chicken and 409 eggs per person.

This creates a problem that needs to be resolved. The cornerstone of the Mexican poultry industry has to do with bird flu. The country is tied up because it cannot be exported. Industry and authorities must define what to do with this disease. Will Mexico live with the disease or eradicate it? Both options require very different public policies and decisions.

Eradication seems almost impossible. Mexican poultry farmers have lived in harmony with bird flu for years. The industry is growing at an average annual rate of 3%.

Maybe it’s time to turn the tide. Situations change, decisions change. Perhaps strong biosecurity vaccination is the way to go, not just in Mexico but elsewhere.

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