U.S. Turkey Industry Loses 545,100 Birds to HPAI in September

U.S. turkey producers lost approximately 545,100 birds to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during September 2026, according to USDA APHIS records reported by Poultry Producer. The data indicate renewed seasonal pressure from H5N1 following the return of HPAI to commercial turkey production in August.

Minnesota experienced the largest losses during September, with approximately 320,000 birds affected across seven turkey farms.

Three of those farms were located in Stearns County, while additional cases occurred in Wright, Becker, Big Stone and Kandiyohi counties.

Why the number matters

Approximately 59% of the reported September losses occurred in Minnesota, highlighting the geographic concentration of the latest commercial impact.

The losses followed two South Dakota commercial turkey outbreaks in August.

The pattern is commercially important because turkey production has repeatedly demonstrated high vulnerability to HPAI, particularly as seasonal wild-bird migration increases environmental exposure.

Economic chain

The impact of HPAI extends well beyond birds directly lost. The economic consequences include:

• depopulation

• replacement-stock costs

• downtime

• cleaning and disinfection

• movement restrictions

• surveillance

• market disruption

• processing utilisation losses

• supply-chain uncertainty

Consequently, the true economic cost can materially exceed the value of birds culled.

Analyst view

The September numbers reinforce the continued need for a layered HPAI-control strategy.

The market opportunity extends across: biosecurity → surveillance → rapid diagnostics → vaccination research → genetic resilience → environmental monitoring. Importantly, no single technology eliminates HPAI risk. The commercial poultry industry is therefore increasingly likely to favour stacked protection systems.