Gov. Tim Walz and state leaders on Wednesday urged new strategies to protect Minnesotans and agricultural producers from H5N1, an influenza strain that has spread rapidly in the U.S. among wild and domestic birds and dairy farms over the past three years.

Walz added that Minnesota’s turkey and dairy farmers are continuing to struggle. The most recent proposed budget from Walz includes $4 million to combat the avian flu statewide. Meanwhile, the University of Minnesota announced it has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fight H5N1.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says there is a "unified front" in the state's fight against bird flu, which was recently detected in a Stearns County dairy herd.