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Naig says poultry shows have been a success

Iowa’s Secretary of Ag says response to highly pathogenic avian influenza significantly improved from the 2015 outbreak and even allowed the opportunity for kids to take part in poultry shows and exhibitions this year. 

Mike Naig tells Brownfield the state was able to lift its order canceling live bird exhibitions earlier this summer. “Most of our county fairs were also able to have poultry shows,” Naig said. “Which we know is an entry level type of project for folks. If you are trying to figure out how to get into livestock, it’s an easy thing to start. We know that for young people in particular, a poultry project is very important.”

He says all quarantines have been lifted at commercial sites. “We do have three backyard premises that still have a quarantine on them because you can’t clean up a backyard premise. It really just needs to have the clock run on a certain amount of time,” Naig said. “And so those will be lifted as we get into the early fall.”

AUDIO: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig