(St. Paul, MN) — Starting tomorrow, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health is lifting the ban placed on poultry exhibitions and other gatherings of birds. Birds will be permitted at fairs, swap meets, exotic sales, petting zoos and other events where birds are gathered or commingled. Birds were prohibited from exhibition in May in the midst of the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The ban was put into place to minimize spread of HPAI and protect the state’s domestic bird population. No new cases of avian flu have been reported in Minnesota since June 5th. During the spring 2015 outbreak, 108 farms spanning 23 counties were infected with HPAI in Minnesota.