Board hears biosecurity guidance and concern about feral rabbits on fairgrounds

County staff distributed state biosecurity guidance for barns and asked superintendents to post updated materials and follow the state templates. One superintendent asked whether the state’s newly recommended solid‑sided pen partitions applied at the fair; staff said they would follow up and that state posters had been circulated.

Staff and board members also discussed poultry testing clinics and avian-health requirements, noting costs had increased for testing this season. A staff member said a previously $5 clinic had risen to $12 per test.

Separately, superintendents raised an ongoing problem with feral and dumped domestic rabbits on the fairgrounds. Board members said the rabbits are a biosecurity risk—potential carriers of rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) and other pathogens—and that humane, licensed trappers or rescues should be used to remove animals rather than informal volunteer roundups. One board member said the county should coordinate a legal and humane removal process and noted rescues are limited in capacity.

Staff asked superintendents to print the new state posters and to contact fair operations with questions; no changes to pen layout or enforcement were adopted during the meeting.