DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa recorded its first bird flu case of 2024 earlier this week. But as farms across the country experience a new wave of the virus, experts say this time may be different.
"[It's on a] pretty different scale, a lot more drawn out this time and a lot more different variables this time," said Yuko Sato, Iowa State University Poultry Extension Veterinarian and Diagnostician.
Bird flu, more formally known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), has been affecting Iowa farms since 2022. More than 90 million birds have been killed because of the virus nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Experts say food is safe, but farmers are having to make adjustments.
"Stepping up their biosecurity is sort of their new normal at this point," Sato said.
Sato shared that farmers have increased biosecurity efforts to ensure the health and safety of their entire flocks, similar to the way people had to begin wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sato says this increased security is necessary because of the wide variety of birds that can be impacted.
"It really doesn't matter, it could be a chicken flock, a turkey flock, a duck flock, you know, all those birds are equally affected by the virus," Sato said. "It doesn't matter what the size the farm is or what type of operation they are, it equally hits birds."
Even when birds are healthy, farmers are always testing for HPAI.
"In a way, it's almost here to stay," Sato said. "I would use the word 'endemic' at this point because the virus has not left the country."
Another strand of HPAI was found in dairy cattle in nine different states. So far, there have been no reports of dairy cattle in Iowa being impacted by the virus.