U-S Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was in Mexico Tuesday to help finalize a trade deal involving U-S potatoes and biotechnology.  However, questions focused on the contagious bird flu that now has been reported in 24 of the 50 states. Vilsack was asked if U-S poultry exports are in jeopardy of being shut down, as was the case in 2015 after the wide spread outbreak.  Vilsack says the circumstances surrounding the bird flu are different this year.

Vilsack says since the last bird flu outbreak, U-S officials convinced other nations to place restrictions on specific infected areas, rather than a blanket restriction coverage of the entire United States.

Vilsack says improvements with bio-security measures have helped contain the spread of the bird flu.

The Agriculture Secretary says in the future, commercial poultry farms may need to vaccinate their flocks against the bird flu.