Let’s phase out Michigan’s mega-dairies and giant egg farms
When tests confirmed the fourth case of H5N1 avian influenza in a farmworker, word spread quickly among health experts. As a general practitioner in Michigan with an additional degree in public health, I have followed the news of avian influenza outbreaks in laying hens, dairy cows and people. In Michigan, officials are doing a good job of managing the immediate crisis, but it is also time to take a close look at the food production system that puts farmworkers in close contact with sick cows and birds.
Michigan is offering farmers a lot of money to participate in further studies. The more we know about the behavior of the H5N1 virus, the better our chance of preventing its further spread. Michigan should also provide financial support to dairy farmers who want to switch to growing oats for oat milk, hazelnut trees for hazelnut milk, or other crops they find profitable.
Dairy farmers have faced major challenges in recent years and many have decided to close their business. Now, the outbreak of bird flu among dairy cows is another problem. It is likely that some of these farmers are considering closing their dairy operations and growing crops or fruit instead.
In many parts of the country, the trend is already underway. Denise O’Brien, a former dairy farmer in Iowa, sold her cows when milk prices were low and switched to growing crops such as strawberries, raspberries, asparagus and apple trees. In Wisconsin, former dairy farmer Greg Zwald now runs a pick-your-own berry farm. But this transition comes at a cost, and our government should provide funding for it. Michigan’s conversion program could be modeled after Vermont’s.
If you’re a poultry farmer and bird flu has wiped out your poultry flock, you may be thinking about making a change. In addition to bird flu outbreaks, poultry farmers are dealing with other problems, and some of them are converting their chicken coops to grow crops. In North Carolina, former chicken farmers Paula and Dale Boles converted their 500-foot-long poultry barns into greenhouses to grow organic vegetables.
If there are fewer laying hens because of bird flu and egg prices are rising, what will people eat for breakfast? Warm cereal with blueberries, oat milk, walnuts and cinnamon is a hearty meal that provides protein, calcium, iron and fiber. Or you might prefer a protein-packed breakfast bowl with black beans, salsa, potatoes and corn, topped with mushroom “bacon.”
A plant-based diet focused on Michigan fruits, vegetables, beans and greens can help you maintain a healthy weight, lower your blood pressure and improve your heart health. I know this from personal experience treating patients with diet-related diseases, and the scientific literature tells the same story. A recent study of 22 pairs of identical twins found that a plant-based diet improved heart health in just eight weeks. The twins on the plant-based diet had lower LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels and lost more weight than the omnivorous twins.
There are about 292 large-scale livestock farms in Michigan that should be phased out and replaced with sustainable agriculture. Farms with many animals in small spaces pose a threat to public health because they provide ideal conditions for the spread and evolution of viruses that may develop the ability to infect humans. According to a study published in Frontiers in Microbiology, intensive livestock farming has been implicated in the H1N1, H5N1 and N7N9 flu viruses jumping from animals to humans.
The transition from livestock farming to fruit farming is particularly environmentally friendly, as trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and provide us with oxygen to breathe. Fruit and nut trees provide income for farmers and healthy food for everyone. Almonds and hazelnuts, for example, are good sources of calcium without the artery-clogging saturated fats of cow’s milk.
According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the new budget, which takes effect in October, includes $3 million to support small farmers. Transitional grants will be offered to dairy farmers, egg farmers and others who want to plant orchards or otherwise transition to growing crops.
In Michigan, a popular summer activity is to visit the local fruit and berry farm where you can pick your own fruit and berries. In August, the peaches are ripe, and even if you live in the city, there may be a farm near you.
Kathleen Longo, MD, MPH, is a Michigan physician who is board-certified in internal medicine and holds an MPH in epidemiology. 4365 Stonemeadow Court, Ann Arbor, Michigan. [email protected] 313-310-4792.
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