WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. — Far Nasir got into farming about 13 years ago; with a background in supermarkets, he found he enjoyed the farming lifestyle.
"Full-time hours but part-time work - that proved to be false," Nasir laughed. "Been very blessed with farming and just enjoying it."
Today, Nasir works as a chicken farmer in Worcester County. He has a close eye on the highly contagious Avian Influenza - abbreviated as "AI."
VIDEO: Maryland poultry farmer talks avian flu impacts
"[Avian influenza] is a very stressful time for us, It just, not only affects the farm that gets it, it affects the community that it's in," Nasir told WMAR.
Bird flu cases have been detected in Maryland, including in Montgomery County and in several counties on the Eastern Shore. Its national impacts have permeated for several months now, as the US Department of Agriculture worries egg prices could get to record highs.
"If, God forbid, one of my houses gets [avian influenza], we'll have to put all those chickens down not to spread the disease," Nasir added.
Nasir is also on the Board of Directors at the Maryland Farm Bureau, which launched a resource page on its website and is urging precautions.
According to the USDA, Maryland is a 'national leader in broiler chicken production.' In 2020, the state's poultry industry 'was responsible for as much as $6.70 billion in total economic activity,' in Maryland, per USDA statistics.
Last week, officials announced a separate type of bird flu was detected in dairy cows in Nevada.
RELATED: Second type of bird flu detected in US dairy cows
With all that's gone on, farmers are putting their guard up.
"Farmers are doing a really great job trying to contain it," Nasir said, "So far it's been one week since the last case, so we're diligently trying to put the biosecurity measures to not spread it. But if it was to spread, it would be really devastating for the economy."
Between the avian flu and other rising input costs, Nasir said it's been a perfect storm for farmers lately. He urged folks to do what they can to mitigate the disease's spread, including having separate shoes for the farm.
