RUDD, Iowa (AP) — Iowa poultry farmers are bracing for the possibility that bird flu will return this fall when wild birds migrate, but they hope the disease won’t return. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the industry that had to slaughter more than 35 million chickens and turkeys earlier this year is just starting to recover. But agriculture officials say migrating birds might bring the disease back.

The Iowa Poultry Association’s Randy Olson says the industry is doing everything it can to prevent another outbreak. Tony Halsted says he’s grateful that his hatchery near Rudd escaped bird flu in the spring. Halsted says he has divided his birds up and moved some flocks into Missouri to make sure that a bird flu infection at one location wouldn’t cripple his operation.