Three Minnesota turkey farms lost a combined 183,400 birds this week to highly pathogenic avian influenza.
.The commercial turkey industry has lost nearly 1.3 million birds since late August, mostly in a swath of the Upper Midwest from the Dakotas to Michigan.
The flocks struck this week were in central Minnesota which has already lost four large turkey flocks this month.
A poultry flock of 5,900 birds in Lancaster County, Pa., became the first one in that state.
There have been outbreaks in 18 states since Aug. 27. Close to 40 commercial farm sites have been hit, with around 20 additional backyard flocks giving indicators of the virus’ presence.
A dairy herd in Idaho was confirmed positive for H5N1, according to APHIS this week.
Canada has lost more than 14 million birds to the virus.
There have been 15 new outbreaks this month, most of them on the Prairies.
