After a year-long suspension of avian activities at the state’s county and local fairs and the 2016 Pennsylvania Farm Show, the ban will be lifted on June 1, according to Senator Michele Brooks. The ban was set in May 2015 to protect Pennsylvania’s $13 billion poultry industry against the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, virus.
With the lifting of the ban, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) has instituted a 30-day testing protocol for entering poultry exhibits at county fairs. Previously, poultry had to test negative for Avian Influenza at least six months prior to the exhibit date.
More information about HPAI is available at the PDA website at www.agriculture.pa.gov — refer to the “Avian Influenza” box on the right side of the homepage.
Contact: Diane Helbig (724) 588-8911