Currently eighteen poultry farms in British Columbia are under outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. This troubling state of affairs has led to a great alarm by both local farmers and regulatory agencies. On the ground, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has been working collaboratively and swiftly with impacted farm operators to mitigate this emerging priority. The picture has changed rapidly since the first cases started appearing just several weeks ago.
Shawn Hall, director of the B.C. Poultry Industry Emergency Operations Centre, stressed just how dire the situation is. He can’t imagine a scenario where any farmer would want something like avian influenza to get into their operation. The outbreak is unprecedented and completely alarming. Last year the province had to manage through 81 infected farms, and the way things are going we could be approaching those same numbers this year.
“It’s horrible! These farmers depend on these creatures for their livelihood and toil beside them every day. The farms in question primarily reside atop heavily concentrated poultry CAFOs. This includes areas such as Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Langley.
In a severe response to the outbreak, a flock of ostriches at a B.C. farm was culled as part of containment efforts. The CFIA did not respond to a request for comment on the completion of the CFIA’s ostrich cull. The agency’s rigorous food safety standards ensure sick and injured animals do not enter the food supply. U.S. Hall sought to reassure the public, declaring, “This is not a food safety issue.” He reiterated the point that sick animals should never make it into the food supply. He continued, “If you were to eat a bird with a virus, that cooking would eliminate that virus.”
A B.C. teen spent two months in the hospital recovering after getting treated for avian flu. This ongoing outbreak comes just a few months after that teenager’s release from the hospital. While the situation for farmers remains precarious, Hall emphasized the commitment of B.C.’s poultry farmers, stating, “There are about 600 poultry farms here in B.C., small family farms, and they’re really committed to providing food for their neighbours across British Columbia.”
Hall elaborated, stating that avian influenza is transmitted primarily by migrating waterfowl. These birds are now on their way back from their summer homes in the Arctic. These wild birds transmit the virus along well-worn migratory flyways into areas such as British Columbia.
