Emergency poultry rule repealed, showing at the fair to proceed

CODY (WNE) — Poultry shows have the go-ahead from the state livestock board after being banned for most of the spring due to concerns of avian influenza.
Wyoming’s emergency rule prohibiting commingling of poultry due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was repealed June 13, according to a release. 
Due to declining cases both in Wyoming and across the U.S., the WLSB voted to repeal the emergency poultry order. 
With the repeal of the emergency poultry rule, local fair and extension officials are able to determine the  status of their poultry exhibitions. 
The rule was passed on April 19 by the Wyoming Livestock Board to limit the spread of HPAI. 
Since the initial diagnosis of HPAI within the U.S. in February, the virus has spread across 36 states on 371 premises, affecting approximately 40 million poultry.
Park County was one of the first in the state to report cases of bird flu. The rule put poultry showings, including the one at the Park County Fair, in jeopardy, although officials said they would revisit the rule.
Now cases are declining in Wyoming, due primarily to a decrease in wild waterfowl migration. That means poultry showings can proceed for the summer fair season. 
As the virus is transmitted via migratory birds, mainly wild ducks and geese, poultry owners are reminded to continue their vigilance against the highly fatal disease by eliminating contact  between wild waterfowl and domestic poultry. 
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections do not present an immediate public health concern. Birds and eggs from an infected flock will not enter the food system.
 
This story was published on June 20, 2022.