By Scout Nelson
Three major turkey farms in Minnesota have confirmed outbreaks of the H5N1 avian influenza, according to the latest update from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The disease continues to affect both commercial and backyard poultry across multiple states.
In Minnesota, cases were identified in Kandiyohi, Meeker, and Stearns counties, all located in the south-central region of the state. The outbreaks impacted approximately 30,400 birds in Kandiyohi County, 92,000 in Meeker County, and 61,000 in Stearns County, leading to significant losses across the affected facilities.
The recent detections in Minnesota come as APHIS also reports new backyard flock infections in several other states. In Oregon, an outbreak in Malheur County affected 70 birds. Idaho confirmed two small-scale infections in Gem and Madison counties, while Wisconsin reported a case in Racine County involving a small backyard flock.
Over the last 30 days, 47 flocks across the United States have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)—including 28 commercial farms and 19 backyard operations. During this period, more than 6.41 million birds were affected nationwide.
Since the beginning of the H5N1 outbreak in February 2022, the virus has resulted in the deaths or culling of over 181.7 million poultry across the United States. The ongoing spread continues to pose challenges for poultry health, farm biosecurity, and the broader agricultural economy.
According to APHIS, “All affected premises follow strict containment and depopulation protocols to control the spread of the virus and safeguard the national poultry industry.”
The agency continues to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing the importance of enhanced biosecurity measures to help protect remaining flocks from further infection.
Photo Credit:gettyimages-suriyasilsaksom
Categories: Minnesota, Livestock, Poultry