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Bird Flu-Related Ban Lifted In Ohio

Ohio State Fair, Facebook

The ban that forced every fair in Ohio to shut down their poultry shows this year has been lifted.

Fear of the bird flu outbreak that hit states like Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota, forced Ohio to put a ban on bird exhibitions. The state has 50 million poultry birds which means a big industry for poultry shows and auctions.

Erica Hawkins with the Ohio Department of Agriculture said officials understood the ramifications to calling for that ban.

“It was a really difficult decision for us to make but I think it was a really important part from keeping this virus from taking hold in Ohio,” said Hawkins.

There was never a confirmed case of bird flu in Ohio, the second largest egg producing state in the country.

Copyright 2015 The Statehouse News Bureau

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.