County fair season in Wisconsin officially kicks off on June 22nd at the Elroy County Fair, but the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) still remains for poultry producers.
An order issued on May 10th prohibits the movement of domestic birds to all live events which includes shows, exhibitions, and swap meets – including county, district, and state fairs. This order will remain in effect until 30 days after the last detection of HPAI in domestic flocks.
Wisconsin has not seen a positive case since May 20th, and Ron Kean, a UW-Extension Poultry Specialist, says this is a hopeful sign for exhibitors.
He explains that even if movement is still prohibited, there are many more ways for 4-H and FFA members to learn about poultry. This doesn’t always require then to have a physical bird on hand.
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