Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says another outbreak of avian influenza could occur with the spring wild bird migration.  Minnesota Turkey Grower’s Association Executive Director Steve Olson says they’ve already been preparing for that possibility.

He says after this year’s epidemic they gained valuable knowledge to help them better respond to another outbreak.

Olson says some countries have already dropped U.S. poultry restrictions put in place because of high pathogenic avian influenza.  He says USDA officials deserve the credit for that.

USDA spent an estimated $1 billion responding to the bird flu outbreak in 2015.