John Block Reports from Washington

Today, I want to say a few things about bird flu. In the last 2 or 3 months, the national media has sounded the alarm about a possible bird flu pandemic. O.K. There is some risk. Anything can happen. But, to me, our biggest risk is if the problem becomes even more widespread in Asia, they will destroy their chickens and will no longer find it necessary to buy our corn or soybean meal for feed. That's our greatest risk. The next concern that I have is if the press were able to frighten our own consumers here at home to stop eating poultry. That also would hurt our grain market.

The least of our concerns should be to worry about a deadly outbreak here in the U.S. for a couple of reasons.

First, here in the U.S., we don't have the type of Avian influenza that they have in Asia and parts of Europe. We've had a different strain here not transmittable to humans.

Finally, the biggest reason why we are safer here is because we use a modern cage production system which protects our birds from contact with migratory birds. You have seen the pictures. In Asia, where humans have contracted bird flu, they are living with the chickens. They run all over the place, even in the house. They mix with migratory birds. Should we be surprised that they are at greater risk?

Just a note -- we may not always be so safe if the Animal Rights people get their way. They want to open the cages and let our chickens run free. But, that's a program for another day.

Until next week, I am John Block from Washington.