The USDA announced in March 2023 that avian influenza has been detected for the first time ever in dairy cattle. photo by USDA

From Alaska to Florida, poultry farms and dairy operations have reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, for over two years.

Data made available by the Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Agriculture shows a continued rise in cases across industries. The data also found:

  • Minnesota has the highest count of poultry outbreaks at 172, but has had few in dairy.
  • Colorado has had the highest number of dairy cattle outbreaks, with 64 reported cases.
  • Poultry cases have been steady since 2022, while dairy cases exploded in March this year.

The CDC has confirmed 14 cases of humans contracting bird flu after contact with infected flocks or dairy herds since April.

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John McCracken covers the industrial agriculture meat industry for Investigate Midwest. He has experience reporting at the intersection of agriculture, environmental pollution and climate change. He...