Iowa Livestock Exhibition Requirements
Hosting a Livestock Exhibition or Sale in Iowa
All swine and poultry exhibitions and sales must be registered with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at least 30 days before the event.
- The Application for Registered Swine Exhibition/Sale should be emailed to ginny.eason@iowaagriculture.gov.
- The Application for Registered Poultry Exhibition/Sale should be emailed to robin.mccroskey@iowaagriculture.gov.
If you host a swine exhibition, you must file a reporting form with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship within five business days after the show ends. This allows the Department to track swine movements and contact owners if a potential disease exposure occurs at the show.
- The Iowa Swine Exhibitions Report Form should be emailed to ginny.eason@iowaagriculture.gov.
Iowa law requires each county fair or exhibition to have an official veterinarian onsite who will inspect all livestock, poultry and birds before they are unloaded from the trailer.
Attending a Livestock Exhibition or Sale in Iowa
A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) is required for all livestock, poultry, swine and birds exhibited in Iowa. One exception is livestock, poultry and birds exhibited at a county 4-H or FFA show.
- All swine must be individually inspected and identified on a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection that was completed within seven (7) days of the exhibition.
- A veterinarian will inspect all swine upon arrival at the exhibition site before the animals are unloaded from the truck or mixed with other animals on-site.
Biosecurity
The Iowa Department of Agriculture stresses the importance of following proper biosecurity protocols — with all species of animals — every day to protect Iowa livestock.
All exhibitors are encouraged to practice good biosecurity both at the show and at home on the farm. When exhibitors return home from a livestock show, they should disinfect their equipment, isolate animals that traveled to the show from the rest of the herd, and monitor for signs of illness.
Learn more about biosecurity best practices at iowaagriculture.gov.
More Resources
2024 Health Requirements for Exhibition of Livestock, Poultry and Birds