Governor to Host Roundtable Discussion Tuesday in Willmar Regarding Bird Flu Outbreak

(KNSI) — Governor Tim Walz will be in Willmar Tuesday to discuss efforts to fight the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak.

Governor Walz; U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith; Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen; and Minnesota Board of Animal Health Executive Director Dr. Beth Thompson will be at a roundtable discussion to highlight continued efforts to control and contain H5N1.

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health says there are now 40 sites – 11 in Kandiyohi and Stearns County alone – with confirmed infections of HPAI, affecting almost two million birds. An emergency response team from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was deployed to the area last month to help with response efforts. The Minnesota Legislature also approved $1 million in emergency funding to help farmers and flock owners, but more is needed.

Commissioner Petersen says the drought relief bill making its way through the legislature will also contain measures for bird flu relief. Petersen says the HPAI outbreak in 2015 cost Minnesota producers $650 million, and he warns this outbreak looks worse.

Poultry is safe to eat, and any affected birds are euthanized and removed from the food supply. H5N1 is deadly for birds but poses little to no risk to humans.

The University of Minnesota Raptor Center says raptors and birds of prey are also falling victim to avian influenza. Almost two dozen bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, and horned owls have come into the center suffering from bird flu symptoms in the past few weeks. Officials there say they have a quarantine area and triage center but add many of the birds could not be saved because of how sick they were.

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