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In a devastating blow to the agricultural community, Crescent Duck Farm, Long Island’s last remaining duck farm, has been forced to euthanize over 100,000 ducks after a severe outbreak of bird flu (H5N1) was detected. This unprecedented event has led to the shuttering of the farm, a historic institution that had been in operation since 1908.
Owner Doug Corwin expressed the tough decision to destroy the entire flock as a necessary measure to contain the spread of the virus. While health authorities have reassured the public that the risk to human health remains low, the farm’s closure has left a significant mark on the local food industry, with many NYC restaurants relying on Crescent Duck Farm’s high-quality ducks.
As the farm begins the painstaking process of decontamination and genetic preservation, there is a glimmer of hope that it might one day reopen. But experts say it could take up to two years to restore operations, leaving a gap in the region’s duck production and raising concerns about the future of Long Island’s agricultural landscape.
Will Crescent Duck Farm rise again, or is this the end of an era for Long Island’s agricultural industry?
