On May 11, 2015, due to increasing threats regarding
the spread of avian influenza, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell
Redding issued a press release announcing that the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture was “suspending all
avian competitions at state-approved agricultural fairs in 2015, as well as the
2016 Pennsylvania Farm Show.”
According to Secretary Redding, since December 2014,
the United States Department of Agriculture has reported that 145 flocks of
U.S. birds have tested positive for avian influenza. As a result, 15 million birds have either
been killed by the disease or been euthanized by producers. By suspending avian competitions at
agricultural fairs, the secretary seeks “to take proactive steps to reduce the
risks of avian influenza spreading.”
In a separate letter
sent to the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs, Secretary Redding, in addition to announcing his ruling regarding state approved agricultural fairs and
the Pennsylvania Farm Show, requested “that all additional open
poultry shows, fairs and expositions in the state also refrain from avian
activity in all forms, while the virus is spreading throughout the nation.”
Relatedly, on May 13,
2015, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts signed a state of emergency
after a string of recent avian influenza outbreaks at Nebraska poultry facilities. At this
time, it has been reported
that 4 million chickens, located on three different Nebraska farms, have tested
positive for avian influenza. Written by M. Sean High - Staff Attorney
May 26, 2015
