The 1983-84 outbreak of avian influenza brought heavy losses to the. . Pennsylvania and Virginia poultry industry and caused consumers to pay nearly $350 million more for poultry and meat products. Benefits of the Federal eradication program substantially exceeded its costs by limiting'short-term losses and increases in costs from -avian influenza to producers and consumers to less than 10 percent of what •would have resulted from a - widespread - - outbreak. Government costs .for indemnities and program -administration represented only about 1 percent of the probable costs to producers and consumers of a widespread outbreak.