Bad news for local youth poultry producers in Lawrence County and across the rest of the state of Illinois. The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has announced that both junior and open live poultry shows at the Illinois State Fair will be cancelled for 2022. The move was made to protect against the spread of avian influenza during local county fairs and the state fair. Illinois State Fair junior poultry exhibitors will have the opportunity to get recognition and premiums through a virtual poster competition. Rules and entry requirements will be available at the website-www.illinoisstatefair.info. To allow for adaptation to the new formatted competition, the entry deadline has been extended to July 15.