Fears of introducing the bird flu to North Carolina farms prompted the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project to cancel its annual Farm Tour this year, an event that was to feature more than 30 Western North Carolina farms Sept. 19-20. 

“It is with great regret that that we must cancel the Farm Tour, as it offers life-changing farm experiences for locals and visitors alike and brings much-needed revenue and support to area farmers,” said ASAP’s executive director Charlie Jackson. “But the risk of inviting thousands of visitors to multiple farms during this time is too much of a threat to ignore. The potential spread of this disease could be devastating for commercial and backyard poultry flocks throughout the region.”

The bird flu is not yet present in North Carolina but has been confirmed in nearly half of the 50 states, causing about 50 million birds to die this year — the mortality rate is almost 100 percent. State officials say there’s a high likelihood the virus will reach the state this fall, as it is spread by migrating waterfowl. Once here, it’s easily spread by humans, carried on shoes, clothing and even car tires. 

ASAP is offering a full refund for any passes already purchased, or the money can be converted into a donation to support local farms. Scott Bunn, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.236.1282.