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Ohio issues temporary poultry ban to limit HPAI spread

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has issued a temporary ban on the movement of poultry in the western part of the state.

Brian Baldridge says Ohio is still in the middle of an outbreak.

“We don’t want any movement,” he says. “If we were allowing birds to come into a geographical area, let’s say in Darke County for a show, not only are they coming to that area from who knows where, but also they’re leaving and going back home. There’s that huge opportunity for risk of spread.”

Counties in the order include Darke, Mercer, Van Wert, Auglaize, Paulding, Putnam, Allen, Hardin, Logan, Shelby, Miami, Montgomery, and Preble.

He tells Brownfield the ban is set to end on May 15th. But, “We will evaluate it as it gets closer in case we do have additional outbreaks and this continues,” he says. “That gives us a couple months. The goal is just coming out of this outbreak and supporting our industry the best we can.”

More than 14 million birds have been impacted by the virus in Ohio since December 2024.

AUDIO: Brian Baldridge, ODA