State fairs won't press broiler industry's bird flu luck

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The South is the heart of U.S. broiler chicken production and escaped the deadly bird flu virus that devastated flocks in the Midwest this spring.

To try to keep bird flu at arm's length, a number of states are barring or limiting poultry shows and public sales, including those at state fairs in September and October — something their northern neighbors did this summer.

The Mississippi State Fair added flu test requirements for its open poultry show, but 4-H organizers reorganized their state contests to have photo boards, record books and a one-bird-per-contestant showmanship event rather than risk last-minute cancellation, state veterinarian Dr. Jim Watson said.

To the east, the North Carolina State Fair won't allow any squawkers, cluckers or quackers, instead holding poultry-related competitions — including an optional quiz bowl and a FFA event for building easy-to-clean chicken coops with anti-contamination features such as a fence and cover to exclude wild birds or storage for coop-only boots, spokeswoman Jennifer Kendrick said.

While the outbreak is over in the Midwest, scientists are on guard in case it returns or moves into the Atlantic Flyway, the only one of four U.S. bird migration paths that wasn't affected.