Exports, chicken, Ivermectin and Eastaboga: Down in Alabama
Why is the price of chicken staying about the same as the price of eggs skyrockets? That and more on today’s report. Thanks for reading,
Ike
Alabama’s exports
Alabama’s exports slipped just a little in 2024 but were still second-highest in history — and reflect 30% growth since 2019, reports AL.com’s William Thornton.
The Alabama Department of Commerce released export figures on Monday. It announced that $26.8 billion worth of Alabama goods and services were shipped to other countries last year. That comes in just below the $27.4 billion from 2023.
Meanwhile, exports to our top three destinations — Canada, Mexico and China — increased considerably. Alabama exports to Canada were up 7% to $4.3 billion, exports to Mexico were up 32% to $4.2 billion, and exports to China were up 11% to $4.1 billion.
That was offset by a reduced value of exports to Germany and Japan.
Motor vehicles was again the state’s top export product. $10.7 billion worth of Alabama-made autos were shipped abroad in 2024.
The price of chicken
We eat a lot of chicken in our house.
Nothing too exciting. Boneless, skinless breast, grilled en masse or baked or broiled. You know, so we can live forever.
But the point is that I’ve been buying the same cut of chicken in the same big quantity at the same store for years, so I would really notice a change in price. Yet of late, it hasn’t budged. In the middle of a bird-flu epidemic and soaring egg prices, no movement.
I noticed that on Saturday it was still exactly the same.
That’s because, as AL.com’s William Thornton reports, the bird flu, or avian flu, isn’t affecting all poultry equally.
You probably know that egg-laying hens have been bred to lay eggs, and broilers are bred to feed us. Well, reports on the industries have found that the egg-laying chickens have had a much worse time with the bird flu.
Also, because of the ability to freeze chicken meat, it’s not as susceptible to bubbles in the supply line as eggs are.
It’s estimated that around 158 million birds have been slaughtered during this bird-flu outbreak.
Over-the-counter Ivermectin?
A bill has been filed in the Alabama House of Representatives that would allow pharmacists to dispense Ivermectin without a prescription, reports AL.com’s Patrick Darrington.
A similar bill has been filed in the Arkansas Legislature. The Alabama version is sponsored by state Rep. Phillip Rigsby, a Huntsville Republican.
Ivermectin is a drug used to treat parasites in animals and humans. Claims that Ivermectin can cure or lessen the effects of COVID-19 arose early during the pandemic, although the FDA has never approved its use. The Alabama Department of Public Health has also issued guidance against using Ivermectin as an anti-viral.
What’s in a Name?
Eastaboga
When you drive Interstate 20 and see the sign that says “Eastaboga,” you might think, “Hey, I thought I was East of Lincoln.”
But the “East” in Eastaboga isn’t a directional.
According to the nearby City of Oxford’s historical account, the unincorporated area of Eastaboga on the Talladega-Calhoun County line was once named McFall after a family that settled the area late during the antebellum period.
Eastaboga was actually a little to the south of McFall, around where the exit to the Talladega Superspeedway is today.
Well, Eastaboga was actually an incorporated town for a bit. But later, what folks called “Eastaboga” shifted to what had been McFall, and the old Eastaboga area took on the name “Old Eastaboga.”
But back to the name. According to Henry Gannett’s 1905 book as well as the City of Oxford’s website, “Eastaboga” comes from two Creek words: “Isti,” which means people, and “Apoga,” which means a dwelling place. So it means “where people dwell.”
Quoting
“I’m sorry, but if I was drawing a map of America and each state got one food, Alabama would be getting the white sauce.”
Born on This Date
In, 1976, Olympic gold medalist in the 4X100 freestyle relay, swimmer Scott Tucker of Birmingham.
In 1981, former major leaguer Alex Rios of Coffee County.
The podcast