High school FFA students from across Minnesota convened at the University of Minnesota campus for their state convention on April 24-26. On April 26, students were able to participate in the first-ever Emerging Issues Fair. Groups and organizations working in food and agriculture came to talk with FFA students about the issues that are emerging, how we are responding, and how they impact industry and consumers. 

Several UMASH and Minnesota Department of Health staff joined this fair to talk about agritourism and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu. Carrie Klumb and Leah Bauck, both epidemiologists at MDH and UMASH team members, shared their expertise on tracking, detecting, and responding to outbreaks, along with how to focus on prevention. UMASH’s Megan Schossow emphasized preventing the spread of HPAI, and what students need to know right now. Many students voiced their own participation in the poultry industry, and were able to walk away with biosecurity resources, handwashing tips, and a toolkit on HPAI.