DATCP: Get The Facts On Tested Flocks: Meetings Set For Small Poultry Producers

MADISON — Small poultry producers, including backyard flock owners and 4-H members, can learn about Wisconsin’s new flock certification program at informational meetings scheduled around the state in March and April.

The new program replaces the requirement that poultry or game birds moved or sold for hatching, breeding or show be from flocks enrolled in the National Poultry Improvement Program.  NPIP was originally developed for large commercial flocks, and it was difficult for small producers to comply with this requirement.

Now, poultry producers can sell or move poultry of any age within Wisconsin for breeding, hatching or exhibition if the flock is enrolled with the department as a “Wisconsin tested flock” or “Wisconsin associate flock.”  There is no charge and no requirement for flock inspection by a state the flock must be tested annually for Salmonella pullorum and fowl typhoid.  Turkeys will also need to be tested for Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Associate flocks will be those that consist entirely of birds acquired from Wisconsin tested flocks.

The new program will be less expensive and have less paperwork for producers, save state resources by reducing the number of inspections, and increase the level of poultry disease surveillance in Wisconsin.

Meetings are planned in most counties of the state, but not all have been scheduled yet.  These are the meetings scheduled to date (in cases where there is a joint meeting for two or more counties, it is listed under each county name so you can locate the meeting for your area easily):

Brown County — Monday, April 10, 6:30 p.m., Agriculture and Extension Service Center, 1150 Bellevue St., Green Bay.
Buffalo County — Tuesday, April 11, 7 p.m., Buffalo County Courthouse, third floor conference room, 407 S. Second St., Alma.

Door County — Thursday, April 20, 7 p.m., Door County Government Center, 421 Nebraska St., Sturgeon Bay.
Fond du Lac County — Thursday, March 23, 7 p.m. (in conjunction with countywide 4-H poultry project meeting), Rolling Meadows Dairy Barn, 560 W. Rolling Meadows Drive, Fond du Lac.

Fond du Lac County (with Winnebago County) — Tuesday, March 21, 7-9 p.m., James P. Coughlin Center,
UW-Extension Office, 625 County Rd. Y, Oshkosh.
Forest County (with Oneida and Vilas counties) — Monday, March 27, 7 p.m., UW-Extension Office, 3375 Airport Road, Rhinelander.

Green Lake (with Marquette County)– Thursday, March 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m., UW-Extension Office, 480 Underwood, Montello.
Jackson County –Thursday, March 23, 7 p.m., UW-Extension Office, 227 S. 11^th St., Black River Falls.
Kenosha County (with Racine and Walworth counties) — Tuesday, March 28, 7-8 p.m., Gateway Technical College-Burlington campus, 496 McCanna Pkwy., Burlington.

Kewaunee County — Thursday, April 6, 7 p.m., Kewaunee County Administration Bldg., 810 Lincoln St., Kewaunee.
Marquette County (with Green Lake County) — Thursday, March 23, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., UW-Extension Office, 480 Underwood, Montello.

Monroe County — Tuesday, March 28, 7 p.m., Tomah High School, agriculture classroom, 901 Lincoln Ave.,Tomah.
Oneida County (with Forest and Vilas counties) — Monday, March 20, 7 p.m., UW-Extension Office, 3375 Airport Road, Rhinelander.

Outagamie County — Tuesday, April 4, 7 p.m., UW-Extension, 3365 W. Brewster St., Appleton.
Racine County (with Kenosha and Walworth counties) — Tuesday, March 28, 7-8 p.m., Gateway Technical College-Burlington campus, 496 McCanna Pkwy., Burlington.

Shawano County (with Waupaca County)– Tuesday, April 18, 7 p.m., Fox Valley Technical College-Clintonville campus, 525 S. Main St. (Hwy. 45/22), Clintonville.

Sheboygan County — Monday, March 20, 7 p.m., UW-Extension Agriculture Bldg., 650 Forest Ave., Sheboygan Falls.
Vilas County (with Forest and Oneida counties) — Monday, March 20, 7 p.m., UW-Extension Office, 3375 Airport Road, Rhinelander.

Walworth County (with Kenosha and Racine counties) — Tuesday, March 28, 7-8 p.m., Gateway Technical College-Burlington campus, 496 McCanna Pkwy., Burlington.

Walworth County — Tuesday, April 4, 7-8 p.m., UW-Extension Annex, W3929 County Rd. NN, Elkhorn.
Waukesha County — Tuesday, March 21, 7-8 p.m., Waukesha County Courthouse, Room 255-59, 1320 Pewaukee Rd., Waukesha.  (Use east entrance door #35 and take elevator to the second floor)

Waupaca County (with Shawano County) — Tuesday, April 18, 7 p.m., Fox Valley Technical College-Clintonville campus, 525 S. Main St. (Hwy. 45/22), Clintonville.

Winnebago County (with Fond du Lac County) — Tuesday, March 21, 7-9 p.m., James P. Coughlin Center,
UW-Extension Office, 625 County Rd. Y, Oshkosh.
Wood County — Thursday March 30, 7-9 p.m., Wood County Courthouse, Room 101 Auditorium, 400 Market St., Wisconsin Rapids.

For more information, call 608-224-5130.

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