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U.S. poultry officials watching avian flu outbreak in Europe

The U.S. poultry sector is closely monitoring the avian influenza outbreak in Europe.

Minnesota Turkey Growers executive director Sarah Anderson says there are several highly pathogenic H5 strains circulating right now.

“If I understand correctly, I think it started in the wild bird population. So it’s largely in wild birds, but there are also some domestic birds that have been impacted by it as well.”

She tells Brownfield the Turkey Growers are reminding farmers to practice their biosecurity methods.

“That being said, we are hopeful that it doesn’t come to the United States. But we’re being prepared. We’re kind of taking the Boy Scout motto of ‘Be Prepared’ so that you don’t have to utilize those disaster plans. So that’s kind of what we’re doing and working through right now.”

Minnesota was one of the states hit hardest by the avian influenza outbreak in 2015 that began in late February of that year.