SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Because of the avian influenza virus that has caused the deaths of more than 46 million birds nationwide to date, Illinois is banning all out-of-state poultry from exhibition or competition in its state, county, 4-H and FFA fairs until further notice.

The statewide restriction was announced June 5 by Director Phillip Nelson of the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA). The ban is a proactive approach to the threat of influenza affecting bird life in 20 states. The Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the Du Quoin State Fair are among the events affected by the ban.

To date, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has not been detected in Illinois, Nelson noted. "He did what he thought best to preserve the respectability of bird showing at the fairs," La Salle County Farm Bureau President Monty Whipple of Utica said of the ban.

"There weren’t many options. You either pull the plug or cancel the event this year, as far as having fowl showings and exhibits, or you try to maintain the best safety procedures you could have and still let those who are in the state or county be able to show their birds."

Authorities are trying not to overreact and over-panic the public, and are trying to maintain some semblance of reasonable safety procedures, he noted.

"I shouldn’t say it’s a scare tactic or anything like that," Whipple added. "(HPAI) is a very real thing that’s happening. We’re trying to get it under control and yet maintain people’s confidence in the agriculture industry as far as livestock goes, or in this case, domestic fowl. Things happen, and you try to do the best you can to control them without overreacting and putting quarantine on everything."

The IDOA is calling on everyone involved with birds, regardless of flock size, to work together to protect the poultry industry, Nelson said, adding that HPAI is a reminder of the animal health and regulatory food inspection activities the agency is involved in year-round to help reduce and eliminate diseases detrimental to the industry.

According to the 2012 U.S. Census of Agriculture, Illinois has 3,725 poultry farms with 4.3 million birds. More than 1,300 egg handlers are licensed by the IDOA, including 300 backyard flocks registered and licensed to sell eggs off the farm.