(End of the American Dream)—What they are telling us about the bird flu just keeps changing. At first, they told us that humans were at no risk. But now the WHO says that there is “enormous concern” that H5N1 could potentially start spreading among humans. And when dairy cows in the U.S. started catching bird flu, we were assured that milk from infected cows was being kept out of the supply chain. So most Americans continued to buy milk, cheese and butter as usual. But now two different rounds of testing have confirmed that massive amounts of milk from infected dairy cows is getting into the supply chain. In fact, on Thursday an update that was posted on the official FDA website openly admitted that approximately one out of every five samples of grocery store milk that they tested had “viral fragments” in them…
Today, the FDA received some initial results from its nationally representative commercial milk sampling study. The agency continues to analyze this information; however, the initial results show about 1 in 5 of the retail samples tested are quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-positive for HPAI viral fragments, with a greater proportion of positive results coming from milk in areas with infected herds.
That is a bombshell.
But they are not the only ones that have been doing such testing.
A veterinary epidemiologist at Ohio State University tested “150 commercial milk products from around the Midwest”, and he found viral material in more than a third of them…
Andrew Bowman, a veterinary epidemiologist at Ohio State University, had a hunch. He had been struck by the huge amounts of H5N1 virus he’d seen in milk from cows infected with the bird flu and thought that at least some virus was getting off of farms and going downstream — onto store shelves.
He knew the Food and Drug Administration was working on its own national survey of the milk supply. But he was impatient. So he and a graduate student went on a road trip: They collected 150 commercial milk products from around the Midwest, representing dairy processing plants in 10 different states, including some where herds have tested positive for H5N1. Genetic testing found viral RNA in 58 samples, he told STAT.
What these tests indicate is that H5N1 is far, far more widespread in dairy cows than we had been told.
Originally, I wasn’t too concerned when I heard that there were a few dozen confirmed cases in herds across the country, because that was just a very small fraction of the total.
But now experts are acknowledging that these latest tests clearly show that a very large proportion of U.S. dairy cows have been exposed to the virus…
“The fact that you can go into a supermarket and 30% to 40% of those samples test positive, that suggests there’s more of the virus around than is currently being recognized,” said Richard Webby, an influenza virologist who has been analyzing the samples at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where he heads the WHO Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals.
The good news is that the FDA is reporting that “preliminary results” indicate that the pasteurization process kills off the bird flu that has been getting into our milk supply…
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Preliminary results of tests run by the Food and Drug Administration show that pasteurization is working to kill off bird flu in milk, the agency said Friday.
“This additional testing did not detect any live, infectious virus. These results reaffirm our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” the FDA said in a statement.
Hopefully those “preliminary results” will be confirmed.
Unfortunately, any milk that has not been pasteurized is at risk.
In fact, the USDA is telling us that deaths and neurological disease have been “widely reported” among cats that had been drinking unpasteurized milk from dairy cows…
Other animals have also not fared as well during the outbreak: the USDA said Friday that deaths and neurological disease had been “widely reported” in cats around dairy farms. Officials have said they suspect cats had been drinking leftover raw milk from infected cows.
Why are we only hearing about this now?
And what else are they not telling us?
It appears that we have a major crisis on our hands.
Sadly, more confirmed cases just keep rolling in. At this point, Colorado has become the ninth state where dairy cows have officially tested positive…
Avian influenza has been confirmed in dairy cows in Colorado, making the Centennial State the ninth in the U.S. to see the highly contagious virus jump from bird to cattle.
According to the state Department of Agriculture, the Colorado State Veterinarian Office was alerted on April 22 that a dairy herd in northeastern Colorado was exhibiting symptoms of H5N1, or the bird flu. In cattle, bird flu symptoms include decreased feed intake, decreased milk production, and abnormal milk when it is produced.
“Samples submitted to the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory tested presumptive positive for HPAI on April 24 and were confirmed by the [U.S. Department of Agriculture] National Veterinary Services Laboratory on April 25,” the Colorado Department of Agriculture said.
Many scientists are deeply concerned about the possibility that H5N1 could jump from dairy cows to dairy workers.
So far, just one dairy worker in Texas has officially tested positive, but there may be a lot more cases out there. The following comes from an NBC News article entitled “Bird flu cases are likely being missed in dairy workers, experts say”…
During that same time, she said, dairy workers — including those who were never in close contact with the sick cows — also fell ill.
“People had some classic flu-like symptoms, including high fever, sweating at night, chills, lower back pain,” as well as upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea, Petersen said. “They also tended to have “pretty severe conjunctivitis and swelling of their eyelids.”
Petersen noted that the people were never tested for H5N1; it’s possible that their symptoms were the result of another illness.
If H5N1 mutates into a form that spreads easily from human to human, that would be a nightmare.
According to the official WHO website, more than 50 percent of all confirmed cases in humans since 2003 have resulted in death…
From 2003 to 1 April 2024, a total of 889 cases and 463 deaths (CFR 52%) caused by influenza A(H5N1) virus have been reported worldwide from 23 countries.
In my most recent book entitled “Chaos”, I warned that pestilences would be one of the major themes that we would be dealing with in 2024.
The bird flu has already killed millions upon millions of birds all over the globe, and now it has made the jump into mammals such as dairy cows and cats.
Many experts are convinced that it is just a matter of time before is starts spreading among humans on a widespread basis, and once that happens everything will change.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.