Iowa Bird Flu Outbreak Will Result in 1.2 Million Slaughtered Chickens

The bird flu has infected at least one egg farm in Iowa and will result in the slaughtering of 1.2 million chickens. This is the second confirmed virus on an Iowa egg farm this week.

In 2022, the entire country watched egg prices soar to over $4 as the country experienced the worst avian flu outbreak in U.S. history. Iowa continues to be the state that has been hit the hardest in the nation, according to US News.

Iowa is the nation's leading egg producer and 17 million birds have been killed in Iowa since the outbreak began. There have been 63 million birds killed around the country since the outbreak last year. Sadly, that number will continue to grow this week.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has announced the most recent bird flu infection has hit a farm in Taylor County. Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Taylor County, effective immediately. The disaster proclamation will run through December 10th, 2023, according to Governor Iowa.

Once a disaster proclamation is announced by the Governor, this will allow state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to "assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection."

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According to the Governor Iowa website, HPAI detections in birds do not currently present an immediate public health concern and it is safe to continue eating poultry products.

US News reports that the Department of Agriculture has been finding fewer wild birds carrying the virus in 2023, which hopefully suggests some birds are developing immunity.