This petition is being created to send to the State of Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection Animal Division, to request they lift the state wide ban for the sale of poultry at Swap Meets. Based on our combined experience as poultry breeders, their decision to ban Swap Meets versus County Fairs has no real evidence and was only based upon rumors/opinions. In our combined opinion, a fair poses more risk for spreading/contracting diseases than swaps. The poultry entries are placed in cages side by side without the ability to separate them from contracting diseases/bugs from their neighboring entries. At Swap Meets, the birds are localized to their sellers and not co-mingled with their neighboring seller.
There has only been one case of AI found in backyard flocks, while 6 commercial farms and 3 table egg layer flocks have been infected. This is not a backyard flock issue, this is a commercial issue. Commercial trucks are allowed to transport their poultry in open trailers, spreading their feces and feathers along the countryside from the growing farm to the processing plant. How you feel that is not a threat, is astounding. I would dread being a poultry owner along their route. It is ridiculous to burden the small flock owners with an issue that truly has nothing to do with us. The poultry ban is nonsense in every way, shape and form and needs to be lifted. Like myself, there are many small poultry breeders/sellers that rely on the swaps for our lively hood and this has been taken away from us. It has not only hurt poultry sellers, it has greatly affected other small sellers of non-poultry related sales. This has to stop! You are needlessly taking away the ability to continue on with our small hobbies, that create happiness in our families as well as others. Not only do we provide Poultry for 4H, FFA and other small children related organizations so they are able to show at the fair, there are many other animals that are sold at the swap meets. There are families that show rabbits, goats, sheep and the list can go on and on. Many of the swaps have been cancelled all together which put a big burden on the sellers that provide these animals and the buyers to acquire their choices for fair entries. We are saying as small, independent breeders we pose no threat to the avian population collectively.
Updates
August 22, 2015
The feedback I receive daily reinforces how many small flock owners are struggling under these current regulations. I am currently reaching out to local agricultural representatives to ensure they understand the inconsistency between how we are treated compared to large commercial operations. Your persistence in bringing this issue to light is helping create the necessary momentum for a formal review.
August 22, 2015
Seeing this community grow confirms that many of us recognize the inconsistency in the current state regulations. The momentum we have gained shows that our collective frustration with these policies is shared by breeders across the region.
Reached 100 supporters
August 22, 2015
59 Comments
This poultry ban needs to be lifted for the small animal/backyard birds people. It is apparent to some that the swap community is being punished for DIS-ease caused by the large commercial breeding facilities and has really nothing to do with small animal swaps. Please LIFT THE BAN NOW!
Please lift this, I am pretty sure if people know they have sick birds they won't sell them. I have kids in 4H &this ban is harming their project areas. We rely on swaps and fairs to obtain new birds and sell others.
This ban has certainly effected our Willow Row Exoctics bird sales & the biggest swap we usually attend in Fondu Lac wis this fall has been cancelled!
This ban is costing small and hobby farmers considerable money as we have no way to trade breeding stock and finished animals. It has already caused at least one small animal auctioneer to go out of business because of the ban. Please consider lifting it.
We need to lift this as backyard birds seem not to be the problem. And if fair can have them why not the swaps...swaps are better anyway as they are caged and away from others.
Please lift ban!!
this ban is incredably dumb, as all issues with poultry have been with the super large corporate farms. Small local flocks have never been a problem.
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This petition is being created to send to the State of Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection Animal Division, to request they lift the state wide ban for the sale of poultry at Swap Meets. Based on our combined experience as poultry breeders, their decision to ban Swap Meets versus County Fairs has no real evidence and was only based upon rumors/opinions. In our combined opinion, a fair poses more risk for spreading/contracting diseases than swaps. The poultry entries are placed in cages side by side without the ability to separate them from contracting diseases/bugs from their neighboring entries. At Swap Meets, the birds are localized to their sellers and not co-mingled with their neighboring seller.
There has only been one case of AI found in backyard flocks, while 6 commercial farms and 3 table egg layer flocks have been infected. This is not a backyard flock issue, this is a commercial issue. Commercial trucks are allowed to transport their poultry in open trailers, spreading their feces and feathers along the countryside from the growing farm to the processing plant. How you feel that is not a threat, is astounding. I would dread being a poultry owner along their route. It is ridiculous to burden the small flock owners with an issue that truly has nothing to do with us. The poultry ban is nonsense in every way, shape and form and needs to be lifted. Like myself, there are many small poultry breeders/sellers that rely on the swaps for our lively hood and this has been taken away from us. It has not only hurt poultry sellers, it has greatly affected other small sellers of non-poultry related sales. This has to stop! You are needlessly taking away the ability to continue on with our small hobbies, that create happiness in our families as well as others. Not only do we provide Poultry for 4H, FFA and other small children related organizations so they are able to show at the fair, there are many other animals that are sold at the swap meets. There are families that show rabbits, goats, sheep and the list can go on and on. Many of the swaps have been cancelled all together which put a big burden on the sellers that provide these animals and the buyers to acquire their choices for fair entries. We are saying as small, independent breeders we pose no threat to the avian population collectively.
Updates
August 22, 2015
The feedback I receive daily reinforces how many small flock owners are struggling under these current regulations. I am currently reaching out to local agricultural representatives to ensure they understand the inconsistency between how we are treated compared to large commercial operations. Your persistence in bringing this issue to light is helping create the necessary momentum for a formal review.
August 22, 2015
Seeing this community grow confirms that many of us recognize the inconsistency in the current state regulations. The momentum we have gained shows that our collective frustration with these policies is shared by breeders across the region.
Reached 100 supporters
August 22, 2015
59 Comments
The problem has passed, the threat is over. I need to purchase specific birds before winter and prefer to do so from small breeders and swaps....I get to look the birds over and decide based on observation if it's a match for my existing flock and needs.
This poultry ban needs to be lifted for the small animal/backyard birds people. It is apparent to some that the swap community is being punished for DIS-ease caused by the large commercial breeding facilities and has really nothing to do with small animal swaps. Please LIFT THE BAN NOW!
Please lift this, I am pretty sure if people know they have sick birds they won't sell them. I have kids in 4H &this ban is harming their project areas. We rely on swaps and fairs to obtain new birds and sell others.
This ban has certainly effected our Willow Row Exoctics bird sales & the biggest swap we usually attend in Fondu Lac wis this fall has been cancelled!
This ban is costing small and hobby farmers considerable money as we have no way to trade breeding stock and finished animals. It has already caused at least one small animal auctioneer to go out of business because of the ban. Please consider lifting it.
We need to lift this as backyard birds seem not to be the problem. And if fair can have them why not the swaps...swaps are better anyway as they are caged and away from others.
Please lift ban!!
this ban is incredably dumb, as all issues with poultry have been with the super large corporate farms. Small local flocks have never been a problem.
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The problem has passed, the threat is over. I need to purchase specific birds before winter and prefer to do so from small breeders and swaps....I get to look the birds over and decide based on observation if it's a match for my existing flock and needs.