Farms nearly back to full production

ST. PAUL, MN (AP)

Minnesota's turkey and chicken farms are mostly back to full production after last year's bird flu outbreak devastated more than 100 poultry operations in the state.

The state announced its first case of the H5N2 strain of avian flu in March 2015 and confirmed its last case last June.

Minnesota Public Radio News reports there haven't been any new cases of bird flu in the state since then.

The outbreak led to the deaths of 49 million chickens and turkeys in 15 states.

Pullet Connection chicken farm near Redwood Falls, Minnesota, had to destroy more than 400,000 birds. The family farm's barns are now nearly full of young birds.

Co-owner Barb Frank said the process was 'so difficult ... that you never want to do it again.'