Governor Signs Bird Flu Emergency Funding Bill
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Governor Mark Dayton signed legislation Friday that provides about $900,000 in emergency funding for the state’s response to the ongoing bird flu crisis.
A bit over $500,000 is being provided to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, while the remainder of the funds are being directed to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Both agencies have been leading the state’s efforts to control the spread of the deadly strain of avian flu that has resulted in the deaths of about 4 million turkeys throughout the state.
It’s apparent that additional appropriations will be needed. Earlier this week, state officials estimated the cost of the response to the crisis had grown to around $6 million.
Officials announced Friday that tests have found the virulent H5N2 virus in two more commercial poultry flocks in Minnesota. The latest outbreaks are located in Kandiyohi and Meeker Counties. Kandiyohi County’s poultry industry has been the hardest hit by the crisis. 26 of the 72 farms hit by bird flu outbreaks are in that county.
More From KROC-AM
