
(VitalNews.org) – In an alarming development, a historic Long Island duck farm has been forced to euthanize over 100,000 ducks due to a bird flu outbreak.
The move has dealt a devastating blow to American agriculture, threatening to wipe out a century-old business and leaving hardworking Americans jobless.
Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue, Long Island, the last surviving commercial duck farm in the area operating since 1908, has been hit with what its owner calls “Covid for ducks.”
The farm is now facing its worst disaster ever, as government health officials ordered culling its entire flock due to an H5N1 bird flu outbreak.
“Unfortunately, when you have a situation like this where you have a flock that’s infected, the remedy is to put the entire flock down,” said Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott.
Farm operator and president Doug Corwin is grappling with the heart-wrenching reality of having to lay off many of the farm’s 75 employees.
“It was like Covid for ducks. Everything ended,” Corwin said, highlighting the devastating impact on this family-owned business.
The culling has been labeled disproportionate, especially considering the low risk to public health.
Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Commissioner, admitted, “The risk to public health is minimal as the virus at this point is not transmissible among humans.”
The farm now faces a grueling process of extensive cleaning and inspections, expected to take 2-3 months.
This prolonged shutdown threatens not only the farm’s immediate future but also Long Island’s rich agricultural heritage.
Corwin fears the potential permanent closure of the farm, which holds significant local historical importance.
Health officials are conducting a “full investigation” due to the potential transmission risk to farm workers.
This development has raised eyebrows as there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, and the risk to the general public is low.
“I’ve got a lot of hurdles to overcome to start up again,” Corwin said. He hopes that the 7,000 duck eggs he acquired before the outbreak can be hatched off-site.
Copyright 2025, VitalNews.org