Largest Minnesota farm hit by bird flu to lay off 39 workers

RENVILLE, Minn. (AP) - The largest Minnesota farm to be hit by bird flu is temporarily laying off 39 full-time employees.

The outbreak at the Rembrandt Enterprises egg farm in Renville was confirmed last week. All 2 million chickens there will have to be killed to ensure the complete eradication of the H5N2 virus. The Spirit Lake, Iowa-based company said Thursday that the layoffs will start around June 1. While Rembrandt plans to restart the operation, it says it can’t predict the date.

Rembrandt Enterprises is owned by Glen Taylor, who also owns the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. The company is one of the largest egg producers in the U.S. It had to destroy 5.5 million chickens on its Rembrandt, Iowa, farm after bird flu turned up there last month.