Ohio Agriculture Department cancels all live bird shows this year

On Tuesday, the Ohio Agriculture Department announced to cancel all live bird shows across Ohio this year to protect poultry from a deadly strain of avian flu.

The ban includes poultry shows at the Ohio State Fair and all county and independent fairs across the state. The order also applies to poultry auctions, swap meets, and all other gatherings of birds for show or sale.

This means there will be no exhibitors to illustrate poultry at the Hancock County Fair or at fairs in neighboring counties. The state officials are deliberating other options for 4-H and FFA exhibitors.

After Tuesday's announcement Cassie Turner, 4-H educator for the Hancock County Extension Office said, "Right now, we're just trying to figure out what our next steps are. I know the state is trying to be as proactive as they can with this. This is an animal welfare issue".

Although humans are not at risk for contracting this particular strain of bird flu, it is highly contagious among poultry. The officials believe that it might be spread through clothing, shoes and migratory wildfowl.

The ban includes poultry shows at the Ohio State Fair and all county and independent fairs across the state. The order also applies to poultry auctions, swap meets, and all other gatherings of birds for show or sale.

Tom Warren, Hancock County Fair Board President, said that between 4-H and FFA exhibitors, the Hancock County Fair typically has around 100 poultry entries every year. The state order applies to all open poultry shows, too.