MANKATO — A Minnesota farm management analyst says the spread of bird flu could affect corn prices.

Kent Thiesse, vice president of MinnStar Bank in Lake Crystal, said the ripple effect of the virus could undercut the price of corn.

Thiesse says the rule of thumb is one bushel of corn per year per laying hen. He estimates producing a turkey from start to finish would be similar.

With millions of birds lost to flu, Thiesse says “suddenly you got a number that starts to impact.”

Kandiyohi County in west-central Minnesota is the county hardest hit by bird flu in the state, with presumptive positive test results from a 39th flock announced Tuesday. Local corn prices in that area are 20 to 30 cents less than they are elsewhere.