A Fair First Timer and Avian Flu Facts

Thanks to Indiana Family of Farmer’s, I attended the Indiana State Fair this August. It was my first State Fair experience ever and it was great. The day I visited it was Blogger Day, so it was a fun morning catching up with other Indiana Bloggers and getting a tour of some of the fair’s highlights.

One of the biggest surprises was just how educational the fair really is.

Prior to my visit, I had visions of Ferris wheels and funnel cakes. And while those were there, so were great exhibits designed to “lift the veil off” farming.

In this day and age when transparency is desired, particularly with the food we eat, the fair is a great place to come to find answers. I loved the message of The Glass Barn, put on by Indiana Soybean Alliance, and I really enjoyed their featured stories of Indiana farming families. Another exhibit, called Amazing Maize, shared the story corn, how it is farmed and it’s impact on the economy in Indiana.

My next surprise was that the fair is huge!

If you really wanted to see everything at the fair you would have to visit a couple times during it’s run.

Fortunately for me, Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Intern and a native of my new, little town, Lauren offered to take me around via golf cart. (… Not the best choice considering the large vanilla milkshake I downed enjoyed at the Dairy Bar. But, hey… It’s only your first time at the fair once!)

I told her that I was interested in seeing the 4-H projects. Lauren so kindly took me through the buildings holding the impressive, award winning projects for sewing, cake decorating, photography and more. Lauren, a 4-H vet, explained how things were judged and what each ribbon meant. She also told me that later that evening there would be the Grand Drive showcasing the champion livestock of the fair. Lauren mentioned that being a part of the Grand Drive is a huge honor to any 4-H kid who shows animals.

We swung by the livestock barns to see the prep for the evening’s event. The cattle barn was bustling with young kids in their best boots and jeans tending to their animals.

In the poultry barn came my next surprise.

… There wasn’t any poultry.

Rows and rows of cages sat empty in the large barn.

Instead, members of the Indiana Board of Animal Health were in the barn explaining that because of the threat of Avian Influenza chickens and turkeys were not present at this year’s fair.

Since the start of 2015, there have been cases of Avian Flu across California and into middle America states that has lead to the need to euthanize millions of birds.

While there has not been a concern with birds in the state of Indiana, the Board of Animal Health felt it was best to not have poultry at the fair due to fact that this strain of flu can spread quickly.

The board members were honest and said that of course many of the young competitors were sad, but they felt that this was very important and the best precaution.

Fortunately for us mammals, humans are not effected by this strain of flu because of the number of proteins in the virus, so eating eggs prepared with good cooking practices not dangerous. The birds can only spread the virus to other birds, including wild birds such as geese, making things much harder to control. This is why taking the precautions this summer at the fair was so important.

The Indiana Board of Animal Health shared that they are working with a couple other organizations in the state, such as Purdue University to keep backyard and commercial birds safe. Conservation groups have been working with wild flocks of birds all summer to check them for the virus as well. So far, nothing has been found in wild birds in Indiana.

Nor has the virus been found in any commercial or backyard birds; but, there has been one case that caused a need for investigation. The Board of Animal Health members shared a story of a small community where a chicken owner had concerns about two birds brought into their flock from a recent auction purchase. Anyone with turkeys or chickens within a radius of this flock had to be checked out and be clear of any signs of the virus.

For farmer’s who sell chicken eggs, the flu can have a significant financial impact. But, it’s not just with commercial farmer’s that the board felt that they needed to show sympathy. When working with the families who have backyard hens they found that these birds were more like pets and the potential need to euthanize, even if it’s just a chance, is incredibly difficult for these families.

I thought of my own flock of birds and how crushing this could be. In that moment, I was very appreciative of the actions of the Board of Animal Health in keeping Indiana’s birds safe.

As mentioned, this virus does not effect humans so it is not a food safety issue. So, don’t feel like you have to avoid your favorite omelette or quiche. As always, just follow good cooking practices with eggs:

– When purchasing, make sure eggs are clean and not cracked.
– Cook food containing eggs thoroughly. Dishes like egg casseroles should cook to at least 160 degrees.
– Keep hands and utensils clean when cooking with raw eggs and after they come in contact with raw eggs.
– Keep hot egg dishes hot, cold egg dishes cold. Dishes containing eggs should not sit outside of a refrigerator for more than two hours.

One other note to be aware of is that because of the loss of birds, the price of eggs has increased significantly. The chefs I work with are feeling it everyday as they try to make the most of their budgets.

Now is not a bad time to potentially price shop a bit with local growers and grocery stores to find the best solution for your family.

… Our 25 spring hens should be laying any day now.

This girl could hook you up. Just saying…!