Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has recently been confirmed in operations in Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana and Missouri. Iowa Poultry Association and Egg Council Executive Director Randy Olson says although the bird flu has mostly impacted turkeys so far, his state’s chicken and egg producers need to be vigilant with their own biosecurity.

Olson says producers with backyard flocks need to especially be on the lookout for the disease and take precautions.

Iowa is the leading egg producing state in the nation with 60 million laying hens that produced 16 and a half billion eggs in 2014.