After months of no cases, 3 detections of HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) were reported in October, affecting thousands of turkeys in Utah and South Dakota.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed two cases at a commercial farm in Sanpete County, Utah on Oct. 6, resulting in the deaths of 141,800 turkeys to prevent the further spread of the disease. Two days later, the agency reported another case at a turkey farm in Jerauld County, South Dakota, leading to the culling of more than 47,000 birds.
Back in February 2023, a total of 58.49 million birds were culled, making it the worst outbreak on record, leading to supply constraints and consumer price hikes for all poultry products, most notably eggs.
“It is unfortunate to see new cases of Avian Flu in Utah again this year and affecting Utah’s turkey farmers,” Daniel Christensen, a veterinarian with the state’s department of food and agriculture, said in a statement. “Our department is working hard to help this farm handle this situation as quickly and safely as possible.”
According to the USDA, " USDA pays for birds and eggs that must be destroyed. We do not pay for birds that died from HPAI. The amount of your indemnity payment is based on your flock inventory and standard indemnity values." Click here to learn more.
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