State Veterinarian Mike Martin announced Tuesday, April 5, 2022 that all North Carolina poultry shows, and public sales will be suspended due to the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza. This includes all exhibitions, farm tours, shows, sales, flea markets, auction markets, swaps and meets pertaining to poultry and feathered fowl in North Carolina. These activities are suspended until further notice.  

“This suspension is due to the continued spread of HPAI that has affected commercial and backyard flocks in numerous states, including North Carolina,” said Martin. “We do not make this decision lightly. HPAI is a serious threat to our poultry industry and this is a precaution to help limit the introduction of the virus to backyard and commercial flocks.”

North Carolina joins several other states, including Georgia, that have also cancelled or altered poultry events due to HPAI. Poultry owners across the state need to practice strict biosecurity. This includes keeping flocks indoors without access to outside and reporting sick birds to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division, 919-707-3250, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System 919-733-3986.

The warning signs of HPAI include:

Since March 29, HPAI has been detected at seven commercial poultry facilities in Johnston and Wayne counties. More than 90,000 turkeys and more than 280,000 broilers have been depopulated and composted on-site to prevent further spread of the virus. Additional updates to the current HPAI outbreak will be posted to www.ncagr.gov/avianflu/newsroom.htm.

This type of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. There are no cases to date of this strain of HPAI infecting a person. The virus is also not considered a food safety threat and infected birds do not enter the food supply. All properly cooked poultry products are safe to consume.  

More information about High Path Avian Influenza is online at www.ncagr.gov/avianflu or contact NC Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center at 828-632-4451.

Eating healthy and choosing food should not be hard or complicated. One keypoint to remember when trying to eat healthy is trying to choose food based on the USDA “Choose Myplate” guidelines. The dinner plate image helps us make sense of just how much of your meal comes from those different food groups and how much of the plate it should cover or be consumed.

Healthy eating has to be balanced with the budget. The key to saving money on the food bill and eating well is planning, planning, and planning!  Planning ahead makes all the difference! It’s not really so overwhelming if you set aside a little time on the weekend to plan menus for the week ahead. A simple printable calendar from your computer will do just fine.  Look at each day’s schedule and how much time you will have to focus on dinner preparation. Get family input - let everyone have a night or two for their favorite foods.

One thing about planning is it helps you to stock the kitchen:  have plenty of healthy staples on hand so it’s easy to follow your planned menus and to be creative when things don’t work out as you thought they should. Staples include canned beans and dry pasta in the cupboard, milk, and cheese in the fridge, and frozen veggies in the freezer. Foods on hand mean fewer trips to the grocery store and less reliance on expensive take-out and restaurant meals.

Another part of planning relates to produce. One of MyPlate’s key messages is that we all need to eat more fruits and veggies, in fact, half the plate needs to be fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is fabulous when it’s in season and the price is right. Remember, frozen vegetables are often less expensive and just as nutritious! Canned produce works too, just rinse under cold water to reduce the salt content or the sugary syrup.

What about the other half of the plate? MyPlate suggests filling the other half of your plate with lean proteins and grains (whole when possible). For example, you could make a tasty combo with black beans in a whole-wheat tortilla; grilled fish and brown rice; baked chicken and pasta; or a bowl of beef chili with homemade cornbread.

And finally - Serve ice-cold milk with meals.  Majority of Americans do not get enough calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. That is why it is recommended to drink low-fat dairy with every meal. A refreshing glass of fat-free or 1% milk with every meal helps you build and maintain strong bones for life.