SARANAC, Mich. – A Michigan egg producers has laid off 400 workers after it had to slaughter chickens due to an outbreak of bird flu. 

Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch informed the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity it has laid off 400 employees due to an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at five of its Ionia County farms between Grand Rapids and Lansing.

The farm has a workforce of about 1,200 at those locations.

The notice came after the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) issued a biosecurity order on May 8 for poultry and dairy producers in response to the virus being detected at chicken farms in more than 20 counties and milking cows in nearly 10 counties.

The layoffs in areas like feed mill, warehouse and sanitation were from lack of work due to chickens being slaughtered and facilities being sanitized to try to halt the spread of the disease.

Greg Herbruck, CEO of Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, said the decision was difficult but had to be made while the company works with state and federal regulators in addressing HPAI at its affected facilities.

“We expect this to largely be temporary. We plan to rehire many positions as we work to repopulate our facilities and continue egg production as safely and quickly as possible,” he said.

Herbruck’s experienced its first outbreak of HPAI in early April at its Green Meadow Organics location in Saranac.

According to the Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch website, the company produces about three billion eggs and 55 million pounds of liquid egg product a year.

The company, one of the largest egg producers in the nation, is a provider of eggs to commercial retailers including Meijer and restaurants like McDonald’s.

“We understand this is a stressful situation for our team members, and we are working with our state partners to provide them with resources, answer questions and assist in their individual family situations,” Herbruck said.

Over the past several weeks, Herbruck’s and other infected poultry producers in the state have depopulated close to seven million birds in nearly a dozen commercial and over two dozen backyard flocks, according to MDARD.

MDARD said the problems with the virus this year stem from the nationwide outbreak that began in February 2022.

Unlike some other states, Michigan has largely avoided mass infections of poultry and other farm animals until recently.

The biosecurity order is aimed at trying to keep the outbreak in the state from getting worse by mandating poultry and other livestock producers to develop and implement measures to minimize the risk of spread.

“This outbreak has highlighted areas within our industry that require immediate attention. Working together, we can combat HPAI and reduce the long-term impacts on our dynamic food and agriculture industry,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring.

Under the order, commercial poultry and dairy operations are required to designate a biosecurity manager and do other things such as limiting access points, establish cleaning and disinfection practices and procedures at those access points for vehicles and individuals.

A record must also be kept of all vehicles and individuals that have crossed those access points.

Other mandates include prohibiting poultry and lactating dairy cattle, including those in the last two months of pregnancy, from being exhibited.

The ban won’t be lifted until 30 consecutive days pass without a new HPAI infection in the state for poultry and 60 consecutive days without a new infection for dairy cattle.

“As we work together with our federal partners to gain a more complete understanding of this virus and its transmission, it is necessary to re-evaluate, refine and enhance the measures being taken on Michigan farms to lower the risk of introducing this disease to animals,” said State Veterinarian Nora Wineland.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel citing recent testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found there is no threat to humans drinking pasteurized milk from an infected cow.

“We know pasteurization is effective in inactivating HPAI in milk and milk sold in stores in Michigan is pasteurized. Overall, the risk HPAI poses to the public remains low,” she said.