Kasich encourages 4-H'ers affected by fair bird flu ban

ROSSBURG - Gov. John Kasich said he understands 4-H participants are disappointed they cannot show bird projects this year.

He also understands people learn from disappointments in life.

"This is a big disappointment. It's a tough one and sometimes we learn from our disappointment but there's going to be another day," Kasich told about 25 4-H students Monday at The Zumbrink Family Farm south of North Star.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture canceled all live bird exhibits at county and independent fairs this year to protect the state's $2.3 billion poultry industry from the avian influenza outbreak.

Kasich asked several students what they knew about avian flu and how they felt about not being able to show their birds.

"Kinda sad because I can't take my turkeys, and I've already spent a bunch of time making them," Abe Siefring, 9, of Fort Recovery, replied.

Siefring said he had kept his turkeys in the house near the stove to protect them from cold temperatures; he spent about four months preparing his birds to show them.

Siefring, though, has also raised goats that he will be able to take to fairs.

Since last December, an unprecedented outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 linked to wild migratory birds has gripped the U.S. poultry industry, affecting more than 44 million birds from commercial and backyard flocks at nearly 200 locations in 15 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

No cases of avian flu have been reported in Ohio and the ban is intended to keep the extremely contagious disease out of the state, the ODA said. Wild or domesticated waterfowl can carry and spread the virus without showing symptoms. The virus is not dangerous to humans and poultry products are safe to eat, officials say.

Kasich said Monday's event demonstrates his support for 4-H students during the restrictions.

Ohio State University, 4-H and FFA officials are preparing plans to allow 4-H members to complete their projects.

Kasich said he values the growing up and learning experiences that farming and 4-H programs offer.

"Here's the thing we celebrate, to me, when we celebrate agriculture and that's personal responsibility. It's an amazing amount of growing up that these young people do," he said.

"I share your disappointment if you're a 4-H'er because I was a 4-H'er," Terry Wehr-kamp, Cooper Farms director of live production, said.

"Avian influenza is not in Ohio and it is not infectious to people or at least no one has the influenza in the United States," Wehrkamp said.

Wehrkamp showed the paths wild fowl take from Canada through the U.S as they head south and then branch out east and west. The spread of the disease seems to be slowing, he said.

The illness has left devastation in its wake.

"The economic loss of the poultry, the people that work in the poultry industry, the communities themselves, people that supply corn and soybeans to the poultry, everybody is affected when this happens," Wehrkamp said.

According to ODA, Ohio ranks second in the nation in egg production and ninth nationally in turkey production. The state is home to 28 million laying chickens, 12 million broilers, 8.5 million pullets and 2 million turkeys. Ohio's egg, chicken and turkey farms provide more than 14,600 jobs.