News Affecting Club Members

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Hi folks, in a couple weeks we (the IWWA) will be hosting a panel webinar on preparing your waterfowl collection for spring. The webinar is open to everyone who is interested, and you are welcome to share this invitation with your respective members in your associations if you would like. 

We will also be doing a post on social media soon, which you are welcome to share as well with your groups. Watch our socials for the post to go live, please don’t post the details below on socials, please wait and share our announcement when it is live.

Clayton Bodkin

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IWWA Waterfowl Webinar Series - Preparing your Waterfowl Collection for Spring

This session will engage a panel of waterfowl professionals to discuss how they prepare their collection and birds under their care for spring! We are pleased to have panelists from a variety of collections and backgrounds volunteer to join us for this session, and we think it will be a really engaging webinar. The webinar is scheduled for February 17, 2026 at 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern/7 pm CET

Participants are welcome to submit questions for our panelists when they register, and we will do our best to provide an answer if time and content permits. This session is open to anyone interested in waterfowl and will be recorded, but the recording will only be available afterwards to IWWA members via the member portal.

To register for this session, visit this link, or scan the QR code in the image below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N-cGej8WTvGAIC508sCtkQ

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports on its website that Kansas is suffering from the nation’s largest current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza as of Jan. 12. In total, over 413,000 birds from commercial and backyard flocks are being impacted by HPAI in 2026. A quarantine in Pottawatomie County contains 360,000 birds that are part of a “commercial table egg pullets” operation. This single quarantine accounts for much of the reason why Kansas ranks above all other states in terms of bird flu infections in early 2026. 

The Kansas Department of Agriculture reports that HPAI, also known as bird flu, is spread primarily by wild birds migrating across the country such as Snow Geese and Canada Geese. HPAI symptoms in birds include diarrhea, lack of coordination, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, low energy, reduced egg production and sudden death. For a list of counties in Kansas with AI outbreaks go to: Worst bird virus outbreak nationwide impacts Kansas farms

Motels: Gardner I-35 Exit 210 Hampton Inn, 151 S. Cedar Niles Rd, Ph. 913-856-2100; Super 8, 2001 E Sante Fe, Ph. 844-209-0796; Olathe near exit 215:  Econo Lodge South- 209 S. Fleming, ph. 913-829-1312 Motel 6 - 1501 S. Hamilton Circle - 913-397-9455, LaQuinta Inn - 20570 W. 151st - 913-254-0111, Days Inn 20662 W. 151st St. - ph. 913-390-9500, Best Western Plus, 1580 S. Hamilton Circle, ph. 913-440-9762, Candlewood Suites, 15490 S. Rogers (name change from 154th St.) Rd, ph. 913-768-8888, Holiday Inn Express, 15475 South Rogers Rd, Ph. 913-948-9000.  Due to Fair Board concerns, no one is allowed to sleep in the office building .Thursday or Friday nights.

Email me your auction consignments no later than the end of February so I can get them posted on the club’s web site and the HOAGBA Facebook Group page. You can post consignments and pictures directly to the HOAGBA Facebook Group page, but the post will not be available for viewing until it has been approved by one of the administrators. This precaution was taken to ensure that the group page does not become a junk posting page. I will copy these posts and pictures and transfer them to the club web site. 

We will have lunch for the people who help us with the Friday check in. The club will supply paper plates, napkins, plastic table wear, water/pop and meat which Dennis Connolly and Cory Carlson will prepare. Volunteers please bring a side dish, chips, or a dessert. Any questions, call Terry 913-879-2587 or Myrna at 816-289-2906. 

The proceeds from the sale of items donated by participants in the drawing for consignor numbers is deposited in the HOAGBA Scholarship-Youth Fund. These items are sold at the beginning of the auction in the main arena. The proceeds from selling these donations are used to encourage young people to raise birds & small animals by donating funds for to pay for trophies and other awards. It is also used to pay for blood-testing for poultry entrants. This year HOAGBA mailed checks totaling $1,875.00 for awards at poultry shows & 4-H Fairs: Oklahoma State Poultry Association, Rocky Mountain Feather Fanciers (CO), Washington 4-H (NE), Lyndon County 4-H, Osage County Fair Association, Jefferson County 4-H, Leavenworth County 4-H Fair, Coffey County 4-H Council, Brown County 4-H Council, Johnson County 4-H Fair, Wyandotte County 4-H Fair, Pottawattomi County 4-H, Miami County 4-H, Franklin County Agricultural Society Fair Awards, and Douglas County 4-H Fair.