Michigan lifts stop on poultry and waterfowl exhibitions

News

Michigan lifts stop on poultry and waterfowl exhibitions

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has lifted its statewide stop on poultry and waterfowl exhibitions.

Director Gary McDowell says bird shows can resume because Michigan has been 30 days without a new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic birds.  The initial stop was put in place on May 10 of this year.

State veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland says even though the state has reached this benchmark it does not mean the virus is no longer in Michigan.  HPAI continues to be detected in wild birds throughout the state and the department is urging owners of domestic birds to take every step possible to protect their flocks.   
While the stop has been lifted, MDARD continues to monitor national trends of HPAI.  And if any cases of the virus are detected in the state’s domestic flock, the department will assess the situation and determine if another stop will be warranted to mitigate the spread of the virus. 

.