Live poultry exhibits at Monterey County Fair canceled for 2020

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) The live poultry exhibits at the Monterey County Fair are canceled this year because of a flareup of poultry disease.

The California State Veterinarian with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Annette Jones, recommended that the exhibits be canceled until the regional quarantine in Southern California for Virulent Newcastle Disease is lifted. Dr. Jones said the flareup could pose a risk to fairs and poultry shows statewide.

According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Virulent Newcastle Disease is a contagious respiratory disease that affects birds, including chickens. It reportedly can cause high rates of sickness and death in susceptible birds and is spread by bird-to-bird contact or contaminated people, feed or equipment. There is currently no cure for it.

The fair is set to take place from Sept. 3 to 7, and other events and exhibits are expected to continue as planned.