Highly contagious bird flu forces North Carolina to cancel poultry shows and public sales

A strain of the avian flu that forced the killing of some 370,000 chickens and turkeys in North Carolina has prompted the state to halt all poultry shows and public sales. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced the suspensions Tuesday afternoon. They include farm tours, exhibitions, swaps and flea and farm markets, among other events. The culprit is lethal High Path Avian Influenza. Poultry farmers have worked to keep the virusout of their barns since February by limiting who enters, sanitizing vehicles, even requiring workers to change footwear and clothes. “We do ...