Poultry boards eye BC avian influenza outbreak

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

Ontario poultry board officials are keeping an eye on the British Columbian avian influenza outbreak and have advised farmers and others in the poultry industry here to maintain their strict biosecurity protocols.

Industry spokespeople say the risk of the avian influenza spreading to Ontario is low but they’re monitoring the situation.

Michael Edmonds, Chicken Farmers of Ontario communications and government relations director, says “to date there’s no indication of any risk to flocks in Ontario.”
He adds they’re working with Chicken Farmers of Canada and keeping track of news on the B.C. situation issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. “We’ll take any precautions necessary if there’s any indication of a change.”

Chicken Farmers of Canada officials are not concerned at this time of the avian influenza in British Columbia spreading to other provinces “but there’s always the risk of it showing up in other places; not because it spread but because it’s brought in by wild, migratory birds,” says communications manager Lisa Bishop-Spencer.

Tom Baker, manager of the Feather Board Command Centre in Ontario, says the centre’s secure website was activated early last week in response to the B.C. avian influenza outbreak. Information being posted on the site includes CFIA notices on its response to the finding of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza virus on two B.C. farms  – a turkey farm in Abbotsford and a broiler-breeding farm in Chilliwack. Two other broiler-breeding farms in B.C. were quarantined Dec. 3 and CFIA is testing to determine if they too have the virus. A fifth farm, a turkey operation, was also quarantined after the farmer noticed higher than normal mortality rates in the turkeys. The province has tested samples from the farm and confirmed it has the H5N2 virus.

CFIA says in its Dec. 4 press release avian influenza doesn’t pose risk to food safety when poultry and poultry products are properly handled and cooked. In addition, the influenza rarely affects humans that do not have consistent contact with infected birds. The H5N2 virus is a subtype of avian influenza known to affect wild and domestic birds.

The Ontario command centre coordinates the efforts of the four poultry board in Ontario when it comes to the rapid response and recovery from poultry disease outbreaks in the province. The four participating boards are: Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Egg Farmers of Ontario, Turkey Farmers of Ontario and the Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission.

Baker says last Wednesday the command centre sent out an advisory for farmers and other stakeholders in the Ontario poultry industry to remind them to maintain their strict biosecurity standards. “These are the standards that are in place everyday but we were just reminding them at this time to be particularly vigilant and make sure those biosecurity protocols are being followed closely.”

Ontario farmers aren’t required to do any extra biosecurity protocols currently, Baker and Edmonds say.

Baker says there isn’t a lot of movement of live poultry or chicks from west to east across the country so “from the industry’s perspective at this point we don’t feel there’s a high risk” of the avian influenza in B.C. spreading to Ontario.

Bishop-Spencer says the industry across Canada has been doing ongoing work since 2004 to be prepared for avian influenza outbreaks and other emergencies. “There are protocols and policies in place,” she notes.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says in an email the following countries have implemented export restrictions on Canadian poultry:

• The United States – all poultry products from B.C.
• South Korea – all poultry products from Canada.
• Hong Kong – all poultry and poultry products from the Fraser Valley in B.C.
• Taiwan – all poultry and poultry products from B.C.
• Japan – ban on chicks from B.C. and all Canadian poultry products.
• South Africa – all poultry and poultry products from Canada.

Bishop-Spencer says other countries are considering restrictions or are reviewing Canada’s status.

Mike Dungate, Chicken Farmers of Canada executive director, says in 2013 Canada exported 191 million kilograms of eviscerated chicken, which is six to seven per cent of total production. Canada is the eighth largest exporter of chicken in the world. The biggest markets are the United States, Taiwan and the Philippines.

The impact is on processors doing the exports and it will mainly be felt in B.C. as Canada’s biggest markets are mainly restricting exports just from that province, he notes, adding “right now it’s all hypothetical until we know how long and how extensive this is going to be.”

Edmonds says to his knowledge there hasn’t been an avian influenza outbreak in Ontario. “We have taken very strong precautions around regular biosecurity procedures on our farms. We have mandatory biosecurity programs in place for farmers and we have procedures to escalate those mandatory biosecurity procedures should they be necessary.”

Spokespeople for Turkey Farmers of Ontario and Egg Farmers of Ontario couldn’t be reached for comment. BF

UPDATE December 11, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has outlined the impact on the market value of Canadian poultry exports due to the temporary trade restrictions various countries have implemented as of the first week of December. The restrictions are in response to the avian influenza outbreak in British Columbia.

Media relations spokesman James Watson says by email all of the numbers provided are the value of these markets from January to September 2014.

• Hong Kong - $2.82 million.
• Japan - $957,936.
• Mexico - $2.52 million. This country’s import restriction applies to chicks from B.C. and all Canadian poultry products.
• South Africa - $5.06 million.
• South Korea – Canada was not exporting poultry or poultry products to this country before is implemented the temporary trade restriction.
• Taiwan - $10.12 million.
• United States - $9.69 million.
• Singapore - $212,354. This country’s import restriction is on all poultry and poultry products from Canada.  END OF UPDATE