North Carolina has the third highest number of birds affected by avian influenza in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Why it matters: The number of reported avian flu outbreaks across the U.S. has increased significantly in recent weeks, with more egg-producing chickens being affected since the start of January than all of 2023, The Guardian reported.

Between the lines: The outbreak is directly leading to egg shortages at the grocery store and higher prices, Axios reported.

Zoom in: Over the past month, more than 3.3 million birds have been affected in North Carolina, a number that only trails Ohio and Missouri.

• Nearly all of the birds affected come from a commercial egg-laying operation in Hyde County, according to a database from the N.C. Department of Agriculture.
• Only three facilities in the state have reported positive cases so far, according to the state Agriculture Department.

Driving the news: A spokesperson for the state's Department of Agriculture said North Carolina is conducting routine surveillance testing on commercial poultry at a lab in Raleigh.

• Testing is also done if a farm reports sick or dying birds, with positive tests sent to the USDA for confirmation.
• A positive test leads to the culling of birds at a facility, according to the state.

State of play: The bird flu crisis has struck 113 flocks in the past 30 days, affecting more than 19 million birds, per USDA. It's also been confirmed in 943 dairy herds, the vast majority in California.

• The Trump administration hasn't publicly outlined steps to address the spread, Axios' Tina Reed and Adriel Bettelheim report. HHS didn't respond to a request for comment.
• HHS Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he intended to "devote the appropriate resources to preventing pandemics" during confirmation hearings last week, leading some Democratic senators to point to past statements he made about giving infectious disease research "a break."

Full story ... The bird flu isn't considered a threat to the general public at the moment

🌀 Gov. Josh Stein's budget proposal asks for $1 billion in additional Hurricane Helene relief in Western North Carolina. (WRAL)

🏗️ Landowners within Research Triangle Park voted to revise the business park's covenants to allow for more land uses. (Triangle Business Journal 🔒)

• The vote is pivotal for a plan called RTP 3.0, which would allow the business park to become denser and include features like apartments, shops and restaurants. (Axios)

🍽️ In 2023, just 26 counties in North Carolina completed every restaurant inspection required by state law, as health departments struggled to hire enough inspectors. (The Assembly)

🎤 Outlaw Music Festival, featuring Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan, will stop at Coastal Credit Union Music Park in Raleigh on July 27. Tickets go on sale Feb. 7 at 10am. (Outlaw Music Festival)

Across-the-board tariffs on some of the U.S.'s most important trade partners — countries that pump billions into North Carolina's economy every year — are now set to take effect next month.

Why it matters: President Trump's sweeping levies could de-link economic ties with top trading partners, and the effect on American consumers and businesses may be profound, Axios' Courtenay Brown reported.

By the numbers: North Carolina exports $7.7 billion in goods annually to Canada, making Canada our state's No. 1 export market, according to the Canadian Consulate General's office in Atlanta.

• The state imports $4.7 billion in goods from Canada — including equipment and machinery, agriculture and forest products.

The latest tariffs, announced over the weekend, would include 25% on goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% on China.

The latest: In separate deals Monday, Trump agreed to a month-long tariff pause with Mexico and Canada. Go deeper for more on the deals.

Context: The White House has said the tariffs are a response to an emergency threat posed by undocumented immigrants and drugs.

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory measures that would put 25% tariffs on more than $100 billion worth of U.S. exports, including beer, food products and appliances.

What they're saying: "[Trump's] talked about how this money could maybe offset some of the tax cuts he wants to push, but the point is that it's essentially U.S. companies that are paying that tariff," NC State economist Mike Walden told WRAL.

Full story

Krispy Kremes across the Raleigh area will be test locations for the Charlotte-based doughnut chain's newest flavors.

The big picture: The doughnut maker rolled out its menu expansion test in late January in select cities in the South, including Richmond, Charlotte and Atlanta.

• The flavors are ones fans have asked for, or were previously available for a limited time.

The new doughnuts are:

• New York Cheesecake OREO Cookies and Kreme
• Cinnamon SwirlBiscoff Cookie Butter Kreme
• Original Glazed Cake
• Cinnamon Apple Filled
• Maple Iced
• Black & White Chocolate Chip
• Chocolate Caramel Kreme