LONDON — Amid avian flu concerns, the Poultry Industry Council (PIC) and Western Fair Association (WFA) in London have cancelled this month’s National Poultry Show – Industry Open House.
The event had been scheduled June 22-23.
The May 30 decision followed a “whirlwind week of discussions with attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, regarding the ongoing HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) situation in Ontario,” the organizations said in a joint announcement. “While the industry is seeing AI positive cases drop in the province, the pressures on producers and industry supporters to operate safely has been significant and the NPS show team wishes to support continued success in managing through this difficult time.
“We are so very disappointed to cancel this event for the third year in a row, however the safety of the industry is paramount,” says Ashley Honsberger, Executive Director PIC. “We appreciate the ongoing feedback and candor of our show exhibitors, customers and sponsors as we navigate the circumstance of waiting another year for the show once again.”
The show will refund booths in full, organizers say. Attendees who have purchased a ticket are being contacted about ticket refunds.
The National Poultry Show is one of North America’s premier poultry trade shows, bringing together the best in the poultry industry with the latest in poultry technology, innovations and education. Organizers are now looking toward to the 2023 edition.
