The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today (Monday) highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in Buena Vista County. This latest case is the second instance of HPAI in Iowa in a week; the first was identified in a backyard chicken flock in Pottawattamie County last week. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, says, “[We] are working diligently with producers to trace back, control, and eradicate the disease from our state. Protecting the health of our livestock and Iowa’s agriculture-based economy are our top priorities.” Officials strongly recommend producers closely monitor their flocks, practice good biosecurity, prevent contact with wild birds, and report any unusual illness or death to state and federal agencies by calling 515-281-5305. While the recent HPAI cases are concerning for producers, they do not pose a public health concern, as no human cases of avian influenza have ever been detected in the U.S. In response to this latest case, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation Monday that allows several state agencies to assist with tracking, monitoring, and responding to HPAI outbreaks. The declaration also waives regulatory provisions for commercial vehicles responding to affected sites. For more information on HPAI and the governor’s proclamation, follow the links included below.
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https://iowaagriculture.gov/animal-industry-bureau/avian-influenza
Click HERE for March 7, 2022 Proclamation
