Avian flu case discovered in a flock of chickens in southern Wisconsin | local government
Avian flu has been confirmed in a commercial chicken farm in Wisconsin, the US Department of Agriculture announced Monday.
Samples from the herd were tested at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, the agency said in a statement.
State animal health officials have quarantined the property in Jefferson County, southern Wisconsin, about 50 miles west of Milwaukee. All chickens in the flock will be destroyed and will not enter the food system, the USDA said.
Farms raising turkeys and chickens for consumption have been on high alert and taking steps to increase biosecurity following the recent discovery of bird flu in a handful of states, including Indiana and Iowa. . Growers fear a repeat of a widespread bird flu outbreak in 2015 that killed 50 million birds in 15 states and cost the federal government nearly $1 billion.
Avian influenza is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among chickens through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus can spread from flock to flock through wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, through equipment and on the clothing and shoes of animal handlers.
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said recent bird flu detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.
Photos: From tree to yard to table, the journey of local black walnuts
Jesse Peterson uses the Nut Wizard, a rolling ball of wire, to harvest fallen black walnuts from Chris Gill’s yard in Fitchburg. Peterson hopes to harvest 50,000 nuts this fall, all of which come from owners who are grateful that someone is removing the pool ball-sized fruit from their gardens. Peterson, founder of J’s Black Walnuts, sells the meat from the walnuts online and at local farmers’ markets.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
The Nut Wizard’s basket rolls across the floor and picks up black nuts quickly and easily.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Jesse Peterson harvests fallen black walnuts from Chris Gill’s yard in Fitchburg.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
A bunch of black walnuts hang from a tree in Fitchburg.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Jesse Peterson harvests black walnuts that have fallen from Chris Gill’s yard along Syene Road in Fitchburg. The property has about 20 black walnut trees which drop thousands of black walnut trees.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
The bed of Jesse Peterson’s van is full of buckets of black walnuts. Peterson travels through southern Wisconsin collecting nuts from homeowners’ gardens.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Buckets of black walnuts await processing at Jesse Peterson’s home in Milddleton. Peterson will spend the winter removing the meat from the hard shells.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Jesse Peterson has spent 30 years in manufacturing and uses that experience at his J’s Black Walnuts processing plant located in his home town of Middleton garage. He started harvesting black walnuts from his garden in 2013 before starting his commercial operation in 2015.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Once the shells have been removed by an artisanal machine, the black walnuts are placed in a tub of water. The runny nuts are then pulled from the bottom of the tank and then washed, dried and cured for six weeks. Peterson will spend much of the winter using a vise and wire cutters to remove flesh from nuts.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
After rinsing the black walnuts for a few minutes, Jesse Peterson prepares to dry the black walnuts on racks in his driveway.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Jesse Peterson presents the nutmeat of a cracked black walnut tree. It takes about 50,000 nuts to get 300 pounds of nut meat.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Jesse Peterson spreads freshly rinsed black walnuts on a drying screen in his driveway in the town of Middleton. After being washed, the nuts dry for a few days before being placed in onion bags and hung up to harden for six weeks.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
Black walnuts air dry in the driveway of Jesse Peterson’s Middleton home.
KAYLA WOLF, STATE NEWSPAPER
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