University of Wisconsin - Extension

Just a year ago, people in Wisconsin were talking seriously about canceling county fairs as a precaution against introducing or spreading Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The FMD panic is over now, but the fear generated by the outbreak in Great Britain raised awareness about the importance of biosecurity to protect both animal and human health.

Creating awareness about fair risks

¿Extension¿s role is to help to create awareness about the all the risks that may exist at county fairs, or at any event where many people and animals come together,¿ says Jack Trzebiatowski, UW-Extension agriculture agent in Washington County. These risks affect humans as well as animals, he says, and aren¿t limited only to disease.

¿In recent years, the State Fair Association has placed more emphasis on prevention and management of all kinds of risks, from food safety and animal health to the dangers of weather, fire or accidents on carnival rides,¿ he says.

Many animal diseases can spread among animals at the fair. Good biosecurity practices ¿ keeping pens and equipment clean, not sharing feeding and watering containers, and isolating show animals when they come home to the farm ¿ can minimize the hazards.

Youth exhibitors learn about biosecurity

Bernadette O'Rourke, a youth livestock specialist at UW-Madison/Extension, teaches young fair exhibitors about biosecurity.

¿The 4-H kids are producers too, even though they may have only one animal,¿ O¿Rourke says. ¿They need to follow the same health and safety rules that adults do.¿ For O¿Rourke, that means making sure animals, equipment, feed and water are kept clean while they are at the fair or other livestock show, and quarantining show animals for several days when they return to the home farm.

O¿Rourke also talks to kids about biosecurity for themselves. She stresses the importance of hand washing and discourages eating and drinking in the barns or around animals.

Preventing illness by taking precautions

Barbara Ingham, UW-Extension food science specialist, says there is risk that people can get sick because of contact with harmful microorganisms anytime an event involves people, animals and food.

¿It sounds really mundane, but the best way to prevent food-borne illness of any kind is simply to remember to wash your hands,¿ Ingham says.

Hazards to human health are on the minds of fair officials and people who organize other livestock shows and sales, Trzebiatowski explains. Organizers discourage eating and drinking around the animals. They are setting up more hand-washing stations and blocking off easy access to areas where animals are being groomed or cared for.

¿The ideal is for the fair to completely safe,¿ Ingham says. ¿But we can¿t predict all the possible problems. We have to let people know what the risks are and encourage consumers to take precautions.¿