Breaking: Royal show scraps bird and poultry exhibits amid rising H5 cases
Next month's Royal Adelaide Show will be without bird and poultry exhibits for 2026 amid the state recording the largest number of flu cases in the country.
The Royal Adelaide Show has cancelled bird and poultry exhibits due to rising H5 bird flu cases in South Australia. The state government has reported 119 confirmed cases, nearly double the number at the beginning of the week. The Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia's CEO Will Rayner stated that the decision was made out of caution to give volunteers, exhibitors, and stewards ample time to prepare.
This decision will affect around 150 people involved in the poultry and bird section. The SA government's figure includes more than three-quarters of the national total of 155 bird flu cases. The Department for Primary Industries and Regions SA is working with other country show organizers to manage risk. Bird flu is currently present in wild seabirds but not in poultry, according to biosecurity executive director Georgie Cornish.
Environment Minister Emily Bourke stated that the state government supports the show's decision, emphasizing the seriousness of animal welfare and biosecurity.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
