Once a culinary hallmark of Long Island, duck farming's future hangs in the balance as Crescent Duck Farm grapples with a crippling avian flu outbreak. This virulent disease has ravaged poultry farms across the U.S., causing widespread destruction and leading to a nationwide surge in egg prices. Federal authorities recently mandated the culling of Crescent Duck Farm's entire flock, numbering approximately 100,000 birds, marking a significant blow to this historical and once-thriving industry.
Doug Corwin, owner of the 140-acre Crescent Duck Farm, a family establishment dating back to the 1600s, expressed profound dismay as the outbreak unfolded. We’re just stunned right now, Corwin remarked, highlighting the emotional and operational challenges confronting the fourth-generation business. Situated in Aquebogue, amid Long Island's North Fork vineyards and farmland, the farm's history is as deep-rooted as its economic impact.
The once-bustling farm, which supplied nearly 4% of the nation's duck meat, has had to lay off 47 of its 75 employees due to the abrupt halt in operations. Many of these workers have been with the farm for decades, underscoring the outbreak's severe socioeconomic ripple effects. If duck farming isn’t an option, I’m not sure what we’d do, Corwin admitted, pointing to the uncertain future ahead.
Historically, Long Island was a linchpin of U.S. duck production, thriving on its natural resources and geographic advantages. At its zenith in the 1960s, the region's farms yielded up to 7.5 million ducks annually, constituting roughly two-thirds of the nation's supply. Today, Crescent Duck Farm remains the island's sole surviving commercial duck farm amid escalating regulatory demands, rising costs, and suburban expansion.
Corwin attributes the farm’s endurance to its distinctive ducks characterized by their flavorful, meaty breast and optimal skin fat—a hallmark of quality that attracted top-tier Northeast restaurants, including New York City's elite dining venues. Despite the devastation, Corwin hopes to preserve the farm’s legacy by nurturing several thousand duck eggs rescued from the outbreak. These eggs, under quarantined conditions, will be sanitized and hatched at offsite locations, with careful monitoring to ensure they remain virus-free.
However, significant challenges remain. Corwin is hesitant to restart operations without federal endorsement for avian flu vaccines—a contentious issue, as larger industrial poultry producers fear that vaccination could disrupt international trade. Without vaccination, smaller operations will continue to be at risk of total ruin, Corwin warned, as the risk of recurrent outbreaks looms large.
The current strain of avian flu poses minimal risk to humans, with only a handful of cases reported in the U.S. Nevertheless, its impact on commercial and backyard flocks is severe, with the USDA reporting infections in at least 13 million birds over the past month. This pressing public health threat emphasizes the need for stringent biosecurity measures across the board.
We had identified weaknesses and tightened everything up, Corwin lamented, reflective of the rigorous yet ultimately inadequate preventative strategies in place. The uncertainty of how the virus infiltrated Crescent Duck Farm’s controlled environment remains a perplexing concern, adding to the complexities of navigating this crisis.
As Crescent Duck Farm faces an uncertain future, its plight highlights broader challenges confronting small-scale agriculture, particularly in navigating emerging health threats and adapting to evolving market dynamics. Whether Crescent Duck Farm can endure this storm and continue its centuries-old tradition in some capacity remains a poignant question for Long Island and its communities.