Letter to World Bank: Avian Flu (February 2025)

In February 2025, members of the Stop Financing Factory Farming campaign and partners wrote to World Bank President Ajay Banga and the Bank’s Executive Directors to raise concerns about the institution’s continued financing of industrial livestock farms and the industry’s strong ties to avian flu.

Scientific evidence and recent outbreaks confirm that factory farms create ideal conditions for the rapid spread and mutation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), increasing the risk of spillover to humans. Reports from the WHO and CDC highlight the growing number of human infections linked to poultry and dairy factory farms. Experts warn that reducing reliance on industrial animal agriculture is critical to preventing future pandemics.

The World Bank plans to double its agricultural and agribusiness financing to $9 billion annually by 2030. In light of this growth, it is all the more important that the World Bank halt new funding for pandemic-inducing factory farms, redirect investments toward sustainable agriculture, conduct an independent review of its financial ties to factory farming, and integrate public health risk assessments into agricultural financing decisions.

As a coalition, we strongly recommend that the World Bank take immediate action to mitigate this global health threat.

Use the link below to download and read the letter.