Microbiologist Anne Vandenburg-Carroll tests poultry samples collected from a farm located in a control area for the presence of avian influenza, or bird flu, at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on March 24, 2022, in Madison, Wisconsin.
A youth exhibitor gives water to her poultry birds during the first day of the Rock County 4-H Fair in 2022.
69蹤獲 file photo/Anthony Wahl
JANESVILLE Ahead of this summers fairs, fair boards in Rock and Jefferson counties say theyre closely monitoring the spread of bird flu nationwide and in Wisconsin. Theyre taking a cautious approach while continuing to plan for poultry shows, unless state guidance comes down otherwise.
The Jefferson County Fair is July 9-13 at Fair Park in Jefferson. The Rock County Fair is July 22-27 at the Rock County Fairgrounds in Janesville.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said in a release in December that, working jointly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it had identified a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial poultry flock in Burnett County in rural northwestern Wisconsin.
Sam GO, communications director for DATCP, said the agency continues to monitor cases of bird flu in Wisconsin and nationwide.
Caused by influenza type A viruses, avian influenza, or bird flu, is highly contagious and often fatal to domestic poultry. It has circulated in both wild and domestic bird populations in North America since December 2021.
It can be spread by contact with infected birds, commingling with wild birds or their droppings, equipment, or via clothing worn by anyone working with infected animals.
GO said flocks quarantined due to a bird flu infection or exposure to infected flocks would not be eligible to participate in this summers county fairs.
Rock County
Rock County Fair Board President Ryan George said the Rock County Fair will continue to follow guidance on bird flu from the USDA and DATCP. He said the plan, for now, is for birds to be exhibited at the fair unless guidance comes down disallowing that.
George said if a case of bird flu is confirmed locally a quarantine will be imposed that would restrict all movement of domestic birds and animals in a 10 mile radius of the confirmed case.
Microbiologist Anne Vandenburg-Carroll tests poultry samples collected from a farm located in a control area for the presence of avian influenza, or bird flu, at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on March 24, 2022, in Madison, Wisconsin.
Scott Olson
Any time animals are brought together for an event like a fair there is always risk of disease being spread, George reflected, but he said thats normally kept at bay by farmers who adhere to strict health requirements.
Jefferson County
Jefferson County Fair Director Becky Roberts said the fair is concerned about the bird flu but has not yet determined how this might affect the showing of poultry at this years fair.
She said the Jefferson County Fair is monitoring the state and national situation and ultimately must follow any guidance it gets from DATCP and USDA.
Roberts said the situation is challenging, as its out of the control of exhibitors. She said such situations do, however, push both the board and exhibitors to think outside of the box.
It is a difficult space to be in, but it is the reality of this lifestyle, she said. The fair will use it as an opportunity to teach and help exhibitors learn how to adapt.
Bird flu must be reported to DATCP, and the agency is tracking online how cases are trending in Wisconsin. The statewide trend can be viewed down to the county level on DATCP’s website, .
If an infection is confirmed on an animal premise, which can be anything from a farm to a fair where aninmals are present, owners of other animals in close proximity to the site will be notified, GO said.
Additionally, DATCP has a close relationship with fair organizers and will reach out directly if a specific fair may be impacted, GO said.
Infections in cattle
Cattle bound for this summers county fairs may also be affected.
GO said per a current statewide Wisconsin Cattle Testing Order, lactating dairy cattle must test negative for Influenza A virus before participating in fairs or exhibitions. She said the USDA is also now requiring dairy cattle to test negative for Influenza A virus before being moved across state lines.
Roberts said in 2024, Jefferson County Fair exhibitors were given the option to show dairy cows virtually because of the bird flu. Roberts said the fair board will make a call on whether to again offer such options sometime in April, so that exhibitors can plan accordingly
GO said DATCP will, as in years past, keep in contact with poultry and cattle premises, event organizers and industry stakeholders. Some of that communication is coming visa GovDelivery updates such as a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Poultry in Wisconsin subscriber list and HPAI (H5N1) Updates Related to Cattle.
Per recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services encourages the wearing of personal protective equipment when working with animals. GO said that can be obtained at no cost from the Wisconsin DHS medical stockpile, while supplies last.
DHS also recommends that those working with animals, especially sick animals, consult their health care provider if they develop flu-like symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat, body aches or eye redness.
GO said DATCP urges farmers who notice signs of bird flu to work with their herd veterinarian. To report herds with symptoms, veterinarians should contact DATCP at 608-224-4872 or 800 943-0003. More information is at
70 human cases
The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, known as H5N1, has killed millions of wild birds and has led to emergency culling of commercial flocks.
Nationwide, there have been 70 confirmed human cases since 2024, according to the CDC. Most of these cases have been among farmworkers, who are in daily close contact with poultry and cattle.
California has tracked the most cases, with 38 patients, nearly all exposed to the virus from dairy herds, followed by Washington state with 11 cases. Other infections in humans have been confirmed in Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin.
In February, Ohio and Wyoming reported their first human cases of the virus. A CDC study found cases among three dairy veterinarians, with one working in a state that had no infected cattle.
In January, a patient in Louisiana died after contracting the virus, the first human death from bird flu. The patient was an older adult with underlying medical conditions, and had contracted the virus after exposure to a backyard flock and wild birds.
Hospitalization remains rare. For now, bird flu doesnt easily infect humans and doesnt spread from person to person, health experts say. The CDC says there is little risk to the general public, but that could change as the virus mutates and continues to infect mammals such as cattle. The virus also has been found in domestic cats.
To eradicate bird flu, experts are emphasizing comprehensive case surveillance, testing and an overall public health strategy that recognizes the interdependence of humans, animals and the environment.
You cant have healthy humans without healthy animals, wild and domestic, and healthy environments, said Maurice Pitesky, a food security expert at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Ultimately, youre trying to reduce the potential of the virus to move from those wild waterfowl to those farm animals.
Impact of USDA cuts
As bird flu cases inundate more poultry and dairy farms, state officials worry that the Trump administrations firings of federal scientists and other actions will undermine efforts to track the virus and protect Americans.
In late February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture rushed to rehire workers who were involved in responding to the outbreak and were fired amid federal workforce cuts. These employees were part of a federal network that oversees labs responsible for collecting samples and confirming H5N1 tests.
State officials also fear funding cuts will hamper those federal labs, and say that by scrubbing some public health data from government websites, the administration may complicate efforts to track the outbreak.
Federal labs are key for us to be able to do our work, and we need to make sure those labs stay funded, or we cant do what we do, said Dr. Amber Itle, the state veterinarian for Washington state. Itle said federal money pays for most of her offices bird flu efforts, and that the nations bird flu surveillance system one of the most robust in the world needs to stay in place.
President Donald Trumps budget cuts and firings include thousands of terminations across the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, among others. While the USDA scrambled to rehire its workers, public health experts say federal agencies often work in tandem to respond to health emergencies.
A dozen probationary employees also were let go this month at the Manhattan, Kansas-based National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, a USDA spokesperson told Stateline. The federal facility works closely with the USDA and aims to protect agricultural systems against animal diseases. The spokesperson said these positions were administrative and not deemed essential to the functions of the lab.
When we start to take away resources that we need to support animal health response, that ultimately could threaten public health, Itle said, because if we cant find it in animals, we could be exposing people without knowing it.
The Trump administration initially removed reams of public health data related to poverty, pollution, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, adolescent health, racial inequities, sex, gender and LGBTQ+ people from federal agency websites. Some of the data was quickly restored. But Washington state health officials said they are downloading bird flu-related information in case it disappears.
Michael Crusan, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, compared state-federal bird flu cooperation to a dance.
You cant swing dance without a partner, Crusan said. So how are we supposed to keep this process running smoothly?
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Reporter Nada Hassanein, of Tribune 69蹤獲 Service, contributed to this report.
