Getting the cluck out

Feathers won't be flying this year at county fairs across Iowa – for now, at least.

Due to ongoing outbreaks of bird flu, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig last week issued an order canceling all live bird exhibitions at fairs and other gatherings of birds. The order also prohibits live birds from being sold or transferred at livestock auction markets, swap meets and exotic sales.

Naig's order began immediately and is effective for a minimum of 30 days, and until 30 days have passed without a confirmation of a new infection of bird flu in domestic poultry in Iowa.

"Protecting animal health and Iowa's agriculture-based economy remain our top priorities," Naig said in a news release. "As highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to impact poultry flocks across the state and nation, it is essential that we take every possible step to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Biosecurity remains our best line of defense."

According to the department of agriculture, the Iowa Poultry Association recommended that bird exhibitions be canceled in Iowa due to avian influenza. Iowa leads the nation in egg production and ranks seventh in turkey production.

A similar situation unfolded in 2015 when bird shows were canceled statewide due to the threat of bird flu. That year, the virus led to the destruction of 32.7 million birds in Iowa. Nationally, that number tallied 50.5 million.

As of Wednesday, bird flu outbreaks had been detected in nine commercial facilities and backyard flocks in seven Iowa counties: Pottawattamie, Buena Vista, Taylor, Warren, Franklin, Hamilton and Guthrie.

Buena Vista County in northwest Iowa has been the hardest hit, with three commercial facilities reporting outbreaks. In all, 8.2 million birds have been destroyed in Iowa during the past month.