It has been a tough year for poultry farmers across the U.S., dealing with the dual threat of avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks and massive increases in production costs.

“To be a farmer, you have to be an optimist,” said Sheila Larson, a turkey farmer from Hamilton County. You have to be passionate about feeding people, feeding the world.”

” Larson and her family know something about maintaining optimism in the face of hardship after their farm was hit with HPAI in March, leading to the loss of 26,000 birds, or about one-eighth of their annual production. ”

The Larson family has...