The Iowa egg and poultry industry and USDA are preparing for a possible return of highly pathogenic avian influenza. This spring the disease wiped out roughly half of the 60 million egg laying hens in Iowa. Many are concerned about the fall wild bird migration. Iowa Poultry and Egg Association Executive Director Randy Olson says scientist’s prediction on the migration varies.

Olson says it’s good the USDA is preparing for worst case scenarios. The agency is getting ready to handle a bird flu outbreak on more than 500 farms which is twice the scale of the spring outbreak.

Last month Iowa based Harris vaccines incorporated received conditional USDA approval for its avian influenza vaccine. USDA has hired around 200 of a planned 350 additional veterinarians, animal health technicians and other workers should a repeat bird flu emergency occur. Olson says those are very proactive steps.

Olson says if there’s a similar outbreak of avian influenza outbreak it would be devastating to the industry.