Minnesota State Fair cancels poultry shows due to bird flu [
link to hosted.ap.org]
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- All poultry shows have been canceled at the Minnesota State Fair and county fairs across the state this year as authorities try to stop the spread of bird flu, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced Friday.
The board has also prohibited birds from being included in swap meets, exotic animal sales and petting zoos.
"We need to do everything possible to get rid of this virus and preventing the commingling of birds from different farms is one way to do that," Dr. Beth Thompson, the board's assistant director, said in a statement.
As of Thursday,
87 Minnesota turkey and chicken farms had been affected by confirmed or presumed outbreaks of the H5N2 avian influenza virus, which has cost the state's producers around 5.8 million birds.
Comment: You need to get your holiday turkeys now, and freeze them. They will be VERY expensive in November (if there are any to be had.)
FYI: According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state in America, with around 49 million produced annually. Just six states—Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Missouri and Indiana—produce two-thirds of the birds raised in the United States.
WWJBD-What Would Jimmy Buffett Do
"If it's wet and not yours, don't touch it." Oregon H1N1 Summit speaker
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