Minnesota Animal health officials say more than one million birds in 21 poultry flocks across 11 Minnesota counties have now been infected with bird flu.
State Representative Mike Sundeen, chair of the Agricultural Finance and Policy Committee, says they are doing everything they can to mitigate the virus.
So very concerning for the farmers, very concerning for the consumers as well,” Sundeen told WCCO. “You know, this can only drive the prices of poultry products up, but we're trying to get a handle on it as best we can. And just to remind everybody that ultimately Mother Nature is in charge on this one, and all we can do is try to mitigate the damage as best we can.”
Sundeen expects the $1 million dollars in funding will only last a few weeks before more money will be needed to stop the spread. Current funding is arming the department with staffing, equipment and other resources to mitigate the spread. Sundeen says he's certain case counts will skyrocket from its current mark, but he wasn't sure if it will match the 2015 outbreak which claimed 50 million turkeys and chickens in the U.S.
To put a stop to the situation is quite an effort says Sundeen.
“It’s quite an effort right now to euthanize these barns that are contaminated,” Sundeen explains. “It’s an ugly business, but it's how we have to do it.”
Sundeen says the virus is highly transmissible and could even be picked up on someone's shoe walking through a barn, which is why he says any travel between barns should be stopped.
He doesn't expect consumer prices to jump significantly, but he said, you may notice a slight uptick.
“I can see a bump in some prices,” Sundeen told WCCO’s Paul Hodowanic. “It costs money to euthanize these birds, costs money to control the spread of the disease.”
Sundeen also says there should be no concern about the avian flu making it into the food chain and infecting humans.
“There is no concern. No reason for concern as far as this influenza spreading into the food chain. We've got plenty of safeguards in place and there's no evidence of this ever being transmitted to humans.”
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