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Avian flu “still raging,” warns Iowa turkey grower

A north Iowa turkey grower says her top concern is disease pressure.

Sheila Larson of Ellsworth tells Brownfield highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to spread.

“High-path AI is still raging. Avian metapneumovirus, while we have the vaccine now, it is still impacting birds.”

She says there are fewer HPAI cases in the Upper Midwest compared to last spring.

“However Indiana has been really impacted, especially their duck farmers. And I don’t think anyone really knows why, because the migratory flyways are still the same. And we just don’t have the information on why that’s happening.”

Larson says turkey growers continue to improve biosecurity to protect flocks from avian flu and other disease threats.

Brownfield spoke to her at the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention in Minneapolis Wednesday.