Partial Minnesota Bird Flu Losses Hit $15.7 Million

BUFFALO, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Turkey Growers Association estimates the state's turkey producers have lost $15.7 million worth of birds to avian influenza flu outbreaks in recent weeks.

Spokeswoman Lara Durben says that figure includes only the estimated value of the over 900,000 turkeys that have either died from the H5N2 bird flu virus or had to be killed to prevent it from spreading.

She says it doesn't include any other costs, like losses incurred during the down time for affected barns before new flocks can be placed in them.

It can take a few months to fully clean and disinfect a barn before it's safe to return it to service.

The federal government compensates producers for turkeys that have to be euthanized, but not for birds that die of the flu itself.

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