Bird flu reemerges in Iowa, hitting Buena Vista County facility with 50,000 turkeys

Absent for seven months, bird flu has again resurfaced in Iowa, hitting a commercial turkey facility in Buena Vista County and resulting in the destruction of 50,000 birds, the Iowa Department of Agriculture said Friday.

The news comes as poultry producers have braced for fall migration, which can bring infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza. Wild birds, in particular waterfowl, can spread the virus to domestic flocks, often without showing signs of illness themselves.

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Buena Vista County Friday to help state and federal agencies respond to the outbreak. The proclamation allows agencies to assist with “tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal and disinfection.”

State and federal officials require the area around an infected facility to be quarantined and poultry tested. Infected flocks are killed to prevent the spread of the deadly, highly contagious disease.

The last case to hit an Iowa flock was in March, infecting about 50 backyard birds in Chickasaw County. The current outbreak, which began in 2022, has resulted in the destruction of roughly 16 million laying hens, turkeys and other birds in Iowa.

Iowa, the nation’s top egg producer, tops the nation in birds destroyed during the long outbreak.

Nationally, 59.4 million birds have been destroyed, U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows, making it the single largest foreign animal disease outbreak in U.S. history. Since last year, Iowa has had 33 episodes of bird flu, while nationally, there have been 860.

The outbreak caused egg prices to spike last year to record highs. But the USDA said prices have dropped 38% since their peak and are expected to climb just 0.1% this year.

More:Bird flu outbreak has slowed in 2023, but Iowa poultry producers remain fearful

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig on Oct. 11 urged producers to tighten security measures to protect their flocks, given recent outbreaks in South Dakota and Minnesota.

“Unfortunately, highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to be an active threat to our state’s turkey producers, egg layers, and backyard flocks,” Naig said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to remain vigilant, review their biosecurity plans and ensure they are fully implemented.

“Prevention of disease is always our goal, but should we face new cases, our team at the Iowa Department of Agriculture … working jointly with USDA and industry partners, is ready to swiftly respond,” Naig said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the recent infections in birds do not present a public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products.

Donnelle Eller covers agriculture, the environment and energy for the Register. Reach her at [email protected] or 515-284-8457.