Long Island's last duck farm, the whole flock is dead and considered to be closed

new york – Long Island in New York was once a synonym for “duck” in the cooking world. Now you may lose the last commercial farm.

of Bird flu fashion It led to slaughtering millions of birds at poultry farms in the United States. The price of eggs has soared Federal authorities ordered the destruction of the whole flock, which was subject to the strategy, as hit the Crescent Duck Farm this week.

Doug Cowin, whose family has owned a 140 -acres farm since the 1640s, has announced on Friday that about 100,000 birds have been killed for several days in a wasolated Acborg barn.

The remaining staff thoroughly disinfects the facilities, but it can take several months to work.

66 -year -old Kowin said on the phone on the phone, “We're just stunned now.” “It's a very sad time. We are doing our best to get over this situation.”

The family was founded in 1908 and needed to take into account the future of the fourth -generation business, which is quietly in North Fork's grapes and farmland, about 80 miles east of Manhattan (129 km). He said there was.

Kwin said that the farm was so sudden that 47 out of the 75 farm staff had to be fired. Among them, there were people who worked there for decades.

“If the duck is not an option, I don't know what to do,” he says. “We are not ready for other things.”

Long Island was once The center of duck production In the United States, thanks to the abundant flow of freshwater, the calm climate, and the main cities on the East Coast

In the heyday of the early 1960s, there were more than 100 farms in the area, and up to 7.5 million birds a year, about two -thirds of duck production nationwide.

The Crescent Duck Farm has been the only one on the island, as the cost of operating costs, strengthening regulations, and increasing suburbanization.

Currently, this farm supplies nearly 4 % of the duck sold in Japan and is supplied to restaurants in the northeast and other areas, including many luxury stores in New York. Ta.

The secret of longevity is the quality of the ducks, and he said that the ducks have thick, thick breasts and sufficient seeds to keep them soft and moist during cooking.

“The only way we survive in Long Island is to make duck different from competitors,” said Kwin.

After the outbreak, he is allowed to hold thousands of duck eggs, which will help to store a flock and save a unique gene polished for generations. I want it.

The isolated eggs are first disinfected, hatched outside the facility, and regularly examined for virus signs.

However, Kowin said that it would be reluctant to resume poultry vaccination without the approval of the federal government. Large industrial farms oppose the impact on international sales.

He stated that without vaccination, small businesses would continue to be at risk of completely ruin.

Kwin said last week that some of the birds noticed signs of abnormalities, he still had no idea how the virus had invaded strictly managed facilities.

According to him, bird influenza has imposed a strict procedure to prevent infection, as bird flu has hit poultry management around the world.

In rare cases, the bird flu of this stock is infected with humans. According to the Federal Health authorities, 67 infected people have been confirmed in the United States so far, and one death has been reported. Cows have been reported in several states. However, infections in commercial flocks are becoming more common. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, at least 13 million birds have been infected in the past 30 days, and the smallest farms have been affected every day.

“We have identified weaknesses and strengthened everything,” Koin lamented. “I don't think it was enough.”

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