On Mar. 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in two flocks in Minnesota – a commercial turkey flock in Meeker County and a backyard mixed species flock (non-poultry) in Mower County.

Federal and State partners worked jointly on additional surveillance and testing in the nearby area, following existing avian influenza response plans. During a HPAI event in Minnesota, a response zone was created around the infected premises in order to control movement and establish an area for testing and surveillance protocols to be carried out.

The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in poultry operations, live bird markets, and in migratory wild bird populations.  Commercial poultry producers and backyard flock owners should continue to practice strict biosecurity; most importantly, preventing their birds from exposure to wild waterfowl.