In another blow to Minnesota’s poultry industry, the state has reported its second case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in 2024. The Minnesota Board of Animal Health (MBOAH) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the virus’s presence in a commercial breeder operation in Dodge County. Although the agencies didn’t specify the breed of the birds, it was disclosed that 8,500 birds were affected.
This incident marks the first case of HPAI in Dodge County since December 2022. The only other affected commercial flock in Minnesota this year was a commercial meat turkey flock in Meeker County, where 70,100 birds were impacted on April 11.
The broader picture reveals the severity of the 2022-24 HPAI outbreak in Minnesota. The state has lost a total of 117 commercial poultry flocks to HPAI during this period, with 81 flocks affected in 2022 and 34 in 2023.
Beyond Minnesota, the outbreak has had a significant impact across several states in 2024. Commercial flocks in Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, South Dakota, Missouri, North Carolina, Colorado, Nebraska, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, and California have reported infections with H5N1 HPAI.
