Poultry exhibition at Nevada County Fair hindered by bird flu outbreak; locals unite to support affected youth participants
Nevada County Fair Adapts to Bird Flu Cancellations
The Nevada County Fair, currently underway from August 6-10, has been affected by the cancellation of the dairy and poultry shows due to the H5N1 bird flu. However, fair organizers and community members are rallying to support the young exhibitors who were looking forward to participating.
One such exhibitor is 9-year-old Wesley, who had been raising a turkey named Harold for the fair. With the shows cancelled, Wesley has turned to selling raffle tickets for the bird to recoup some value from his hard work [1][2].
Hannah Meyer, a poultry leader who regularly works with young exhibitors like Wesley, has started an online fundraiser to offset the costs for these young exhibitors raising birds. Although the fundraiser covered the costs of raising and buying the birds, it did not cover the hours spent by the young exhibitors [1][2].
Meyer expressed that even though the auction was cancelled, it was still meaningful for the young exhibitors to see community support. The community showed significant support for the online fundraiser, demonstrating their commitment to the young exhibitors [1][2].
Bielen, a fair official, acknowledged the difficulty of the situation but emphasized the necessity of the bird flu ban. The ban on poultry shows at the fairgrounds was implemented by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent the spread of H5N1 [1][2].
Despite the ongoing ban, the rest of the fair is proceeding as planned. The Nevada County Fair is a cherished event in the community, and organizers are doing their best to ensure that it remains a positive experience for all attendees [1][2].
[1] Source 1: Local News Article [2] Source 2: Fair Organizer Press Release
In light of the cancellations of the poultry and dairy shows at the Nevada County Fair due to the H5N1 bird flu, a poultry leader, Hannah Meyer, has started an online fundraiser to help offset costs for young exhibitors, as the fundraiser only covered the costs of raising and buying the birds, not the hours spent by the young exhibitors. Meanwhile, 9-year-old Wesley, who had been raising a turkey named Harold for the fair, is selling raffle tickets for the bird as an alternative to recoup some value from his hard work due to the cancelled shows.
