University of Minnesota study says farmers may have aided bird flu’s spread

Farmers tilling fields near poultry barns may have helped spread the bird flu that killed about 9 million birds in Minnesota last year and hammered the turkey industry, according to a University of Minnesota study. The study, done by the U’s Center for Animal Health and Food Safety and released Thursday, found that tilling could cause soil disruption, freeing airborne particles that could then carry the virus. The study also found that truck-washing stations aimed at stopping the bird flu’s spread may have actually contributed to it.  Read More