Charleston, West Virginia — The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) will lift the ban on poultry exhibitions, sales, and events on May 1, 2025.
The decision comes after no cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) were found in West Virginia’s commercial or backyard poultry flocks near commercial sites in April. Officials also confirmed that there were no significant outbreaks in nearby states that could result in new quarantine zones for West Virginia.
The suspension had been in effect as a precaution since early 2022, when a national outbreak of HPAI prompted strict biosecurity measures across the country. Poultry is the state’s leading animal agriculture sector.
Despite the resumption of events, the WVDA urges poultry owners and event organizers to continue implementing biosecurity measures, including:
- Limiting and monitoring access to poultry areas
- Disinfecting equipment, vehicles, and footwear
- Separating domestic birds from wild or migratory birds
- Reporting unusual illness, sudden deaths, or reduced egg production
The WVDA will continue to monitor HPAI risks during the current spring wild bird migration, which runs through mid-June.
