Bird Flu Outbreaks Depopulated 600,000 Turkeys
The avian influenza surge in northern states caused significant poultry flock losses over the past five weeks.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Agriculture
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As of September 2026, bird flu outbreaks have necessitated the depopulation of more than 600,000 turkeys across the United States. These losses follow a string of infections across South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin since late August.
Why it matters
The persistent presence of the disease in wild bird populations continues to threaten commercial poultry operations. Because these operations must destroy flocks to contain the virus, the ongoing migration cycles create significant volatility in supply and retail meat prices.
Turkey breast prices dropped to approximately $3.10/lb from $7.20/lb in December 2025. Annual U.S. turkey production fell to 4.8 billion pounds last year, down from 6 billion pounds a decade ago.
The players
United States Department of Agriculture
The federal executive department responsible for developing and executing laws related to farming, forestry, and food.
The details
Commercial poultry facilities remain at high risk as wild bird migration patterns facilitate the spread of HPAI into managed flocks. Operations in South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin have reported specific clusters of infection that forced immediate containment measures.
Timeline
2015 saw a devastating bird flu outbreak.
July 2026 marked the destruction of 1.5 million birds in Utah.
Late August 2026 was when cases began increasing in northern states.
Past 5 weeks saw the depopulation of 600,000 turkeys.
Year end 2026 is the projected end of the fall migration risk window.
Market Landscape
The poultry industry faces ongoing pressure to modernize biosecurity protocols against shifting wild bird migratory threats. This cycle of depopulation follows the benchmark established by the 2015 bird flu outbreak, forcing producers to adapt to more frequent and unpredictable supply disruptions.
Consumers may see fluctuations in turkey meat pricing as production targets remain lower than historical levels. The projected 5.1 billion pound production capacity for 2026 remains subject to change based on the containment of ongoing outbreaks.
The takeaway
Maintaining strict biosecurity remains the primary tool for poultry operators to mitigate the spread of HPAI. Readers should monitor regional agricultural alerts during peak migration windows to understand potential local supply changes.
Further reading
For more on industry trends, visit the Agriculture section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by HOTELS magazine.
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Do you expect recent bird flu outbreaks to increase the price of poultry at your grocery store?
