Ohio Department of Agriculture DUTS TEMPORARY BIRD MOVEMENT Inter prohibition in Western counties – OHIO AG NET

By Joel Penorwood, Ohio Ag Net

The Ohio Ministry of Agriculture published this week a proclamation imposing a temporary ban on the movement of living birds of non -commercial premises in 13 Western Ohio counties. This decision is the last in an effort to contain the spread of the highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI).

According to the proclamationThe affected counties include Darke, Mercer, Van Wert, Auglaize, Paulding, Putnam, Allen, Hardin, Logan, Shelby, Miami, Montgomery and Preble. This restriction applies to poultry, wild game birds, fantasy poultry species and exotic species during public and private events such as exhibitions, auctions, exchange meetings, flea markets, breeding markets and other sales or gatherings.

The decision comes as HPAI continues to constitute a significant threat to the Ohio poultry industry, that ADA notes contribute $ 4.9 billion to the state economy and supports more than 16,000 jobs. Since the beginning of 2025, more than 14 million birds in 73 Ohio premises have been affected by the virus, which has propagated by contact with the saliva of infected birds, nasal secretions and excrement, including wild birds migrating in the state.

Exactly what operations does this have an impact? According to the proclamation:

“A non -commercial room is a premise where one or more of the following applies: a premise with a flock of eggs of eggs which has less than 75,000 birds; a type of meat meat meat type meat transformation of plants which drops less than 2 million birds; Raisage to release the birds from the game which release less than 25,000 birds per year;

The Darke, Mercer, Van Wert and Auglaize counties were the hardest hit by the epidemic. The neighboring counties, including Paulding, Putnam, Allen, Hardin, Logan, Shelby, Miami, Montgomery and Preble, were identified as increased risk areas due to shared cases, staff and logistics connections.

The prohibition of the movement immediately takes the effect of the signature of the proclamation on March 17 and will remain in place until May 15, 2025, unless modified or revoked by the ODA.

For updates and more information, Visit the Ohio Department of Agriculture website.

Click here for full proclamation.