RALEIGH — State Veterinarian Mike Martin has announced that the suspension of North Carolina poultry shows and public sales will be lifted as of June 1. All exhibitions, farm tours, shows, sales, flea markets, auction markets, swaps and meets pertaining to poultry and feathered fowl in North Carolina can resume.

On Thursday, May 12, the last High Path Avian Influenza control area was terminated, since there have been no additional positive cases of HPAI in North Carolina since April 11.

“Poultry owners are still encouraged to follow strict biosecurity measures and monitor their flocks for signs of illness,” said State Veterinarian Mike Martin. “This HPAI outbreak has affected 35 states and remaining on alert should be a priority. I would like to thank our poultry producers and those in the state that were impacted by the suspension for their cooperation as we worked to keep the poultry industry in North Carolina healthy. With warmer temperatures we hope the threat of HPAI is minimized for now.

“National trends show a decrease of new cases,” Martin said. “HPAI is still a threat to our domestic poultry and so it is still encouraged to practice strict biosecurity including keeping flocks away from wild birds whenever possible.” Poultry owners can report sick or dying birds to their 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.

More information about High Path Avian Influenza is online at www.ncagr.gov/avianflu.