Neighbors report smell, hazmat suits after bird flu outbreak

Last month, the virus was detected at Michigan's top egg producer, Herbruck's Poultry Ranch in Ionia County. Neighbors nearby say it's been an active few weeks as state and federal regulators respond.

"It has been very smelly, lots of flies," remarked one nearby resident who did not want to be named.

That's how neighbors living along Grand River Avenue in Saranac describe what it's been like over the last few weeks.

"There's been lots of traffic, lots of things going on," the resident said.

Pictures taken beside this neighbor's home show workers in hazmat suits and large piles of what looks like dirt.

"They'll take one piece of equipment, fill it up — it looks like a big pile of dirt — put it in the back of a semi, take it out to the back field," explained the neighbor.

The poultry ranch released a statement this week:

"Herbruck's is working closely with federal and state regulators and implementing the protocols and procedures we are required to follow as we disinfect our facilities. We are working as safely and quickly as possible to resume normal operations at our facilities," the statement read.

"We are experiencing a number of detections in flocks on the west side of Michigan," said Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to MDARD, avian flu was detected in poultry flocks in Newaygo and Ionia counties.

Boring said when HPAI is detected, there are a lot of established procedures and policies the USDA has to follow.

"It's lethal in birds, it's highly contagious so eradication of the virus from the environment as soon as possible is one of the highest priorities," Boring said.

He said unfortunately, there's only one way to handle it: "Preemptive depopulation of flocks is the procedure," he explained.

Regulators have to dispose of birds properly, sanitize and disinfect facilities so it doesn't spread, according to Boring.

"Composting is our preferred method of how bird disposal is conducted. It keeps the virus on site," explained Boring.

Boring said that can cause an odor.

"There's been a lot of work to ensure practices by which these are done are environmentally safe for the water, for the air, for human health," he said.

"I think it's terrible. It's really hard on them, it's really hard on the neighborhood," the neighbor said. "I know Herbruck's are doing their best to do whatever they can do."

Neighbors hope they'll get back to a normal spring quickly.

"I hope it ends soon. I'd like to get some outdoor work done soon," one resident said.

HPAI was also recently detected in Michigan dairy cattle. According to MDARD, there are cases detected in cattle in Allegan, Barry, Montcalm, Ottawa and Ionia counties.

*Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly attributed one quote from a neighbor to the MDARD director. We regret the error, which has been fixed.