GAINESVILLE, Ga. — As we get deeper into the season, and the fall wild bird migration, bird flu continues to spread around the country. Recently, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced a detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Calhoun County, Iowa.
This is Iowa’s eighth bird flu detection of H5N1 within domestic birds in 2025, the department stated in a release. More than 40,000 birds were affected. The last time Iowa had a confirmed case of bird flu was in April.
The department is strongly encouraging producers and backyard owners to strengthen their biosecurity procedures to protect their flocks.
It is still safe to consume egg and poultry products as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to believe that the threat to the general public remains low.
The virus also continues to spread in poultry and dairy herds across the nation, the USDA recently declared the state of Illinois to be unaffected by H5N1 avian influenza.
This is a recognition of the state’s efforts working with local health departments, dairy farms, and agricultural organizations to keep the illness from impacting the state’s dairy supply, the Illinois government said in a statement.
The USDA defines “unaffected” as “ongoing testing and surveillance activities demonstrate absence of disease in dairy cattle in the State.”
Despite this accomplishment, the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Department of Agriculture are reminding the public that infected wild birds may be found in the state and stressed the need for proper precautions against the spread of H5N1.
Illinois has not had a confirmed case of bird flu in poultry since May of this year.
“Public health truly excels the power of partnership,” Dr. Sameer Vohra, IDPH director, said. We, at IDPH, are grateful for our colleagues at the Illinois Department of Agriculture and at our local health departments, who worked with us to provide information, personal protective equipment, and other resources to protect dairy cattle and the people who work with them.”
“We also appreciate the efforts of partners like the Illinois Farm Bureau and dairy farm operators who went the extra mile to keep our dairy supply safe,” Vohra added. “We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to keep our Illinois residents safe and protected.”
“Illinois farmers are on the front lines managing the safety of our food supply chain,” Jerry Costello II, Illinois Department of Agriculture director, said. “Our collaborative work across agencies and our commitment to take swift, science-based action has kept our dairy herds safe and our food supply secure to date. This designation by USDA reflects the vigilance and dedication of our farm families and the strength of our biosecurity efforts statewide.”
On Oct. 7, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported that for the previous 30 days there have been 21 commercial flocks and 8 backyard flocks affected by HPAI. The commercial flocks include 8 in Minnesota and 7 in South Dakota. These combined confirmations total 4.26 million affected birds.
For more information on bird flu, visit APHIS at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza.
