Bird flu, or avian influenza is now sickening wild birds. As a result, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota is sounding the alarm.

Hundreds of Canadian geese have been found dead this winter in Owatonna, Albert Lea, Waseca and other southern Minnesota cities.

Samples taken by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources confirmed avian influenza in birds in southern Minnesota, although the peak infection period seems to have passed as waterfowl

Petersen said they will begin testing milk from dairy farms around Feb. 1. The department will work with labs to pull samples of raw or unpasteurized milk that farmers already routinely submit for testing, so there’s not an extra burden to farmers, he said.

Lawmakers and wildlife experts have set aside $1.27 million in state funds to help monitor the highly pathogenic avian influenza, known as “bird flu,” in Minnesota wildlife.

With $1.267 million in funding approved by Governor Tim Walz on Jan. 3, researchers from the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine will lead a collaborative effort to address

Gov. Tim Walz approves $1.267 million for veterinary college to lead effort to address the threat of avian influenza to wild animals.

Nancy Gibson, co-chair of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, called the virus a "time bomb," and said no one knows the true extent of the disease which poses a threat to wildlife and humans.

Researchers in the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine will work with wildlife rehabilitators, tribal biologists and other partners across the state to collect 9,000 samples from a variety of birds and mammals.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises heightened testing of turkeys for bird flu before slaughtering to prevent virus entry into the food supply. The focus is on Minnesota and South Dakota due to recent outbreaks.

U.S. poultry producers should ramp up testing and monitoring of turkeys for bird flu before they are slaughtered to ensure the virus stays out of the food supply, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday.

Agriculture officials next month will begin mandatory testing of milk from Minnesota’s dairy farms for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered national ...