Flu outbreak a reminder of the need to practice biosecurity Thursday, February 5, 2009 © AgMedia Inc.by SUSAN MANNOntario turkey farmer John Kikkert is concerned that low pathogenic avian influenza is in Canada but he isn’t worried that it will spread here from British Columbia.“It’s quite a ways away,” notes the Smithville-area farmer.Earlier this week, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) identified the virus found on a commercial turkey operation in southern B.C. as H5N2 and preliminary tests indicate the strain of virus is low pathogenic. The virus was first discovered on the farm last month.Last week, about 60,000 birds on the B.C. farm were humanely destroyed and they’re being composted in two barns on the farm. Thirty-six premises have been quarantined, including ones within a three-kilometre radius of the infected premises and some that have had known contact with the farm when the virus may have been there. Before moving poultry or poultry products off the quarantined farms, samples must be tested and confirmed negative before CFIA will issue licenses for transportation to market.Chicken Farmers of Ontario operations director Dennis O’Connor says they don’t have an increased concern that the disease would come to Ontario from B.C. But “we have a concern that all our people are using their food safety programs and invoking proper biosecurity.”O’Connor adds that B.C. has very high standards and good protocols. “They’re very experienced in making sure it doesn’t spread.”The strain found in B.C. isn’t the same as the high pathogenic H5N1 strain that’s infected hundreds of people, mainly in Asia, and caused about 250 deaths. In those instances, infection occurred through direct contact with infected birds or their fluids. Avian influenza is a bird disease and doesn’t cross easily from birds to infect humans, it says in a CFIA information update. BF Police investigate Grey County based beef marketing scheme Board considers extra credit for milk producers
Farmers—protect yourself from fraud Thursday, February 6, 2025 Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay It can happen to anybody. It doesn’t matter how safe you are or how smart you are; there’s always a chance you are going to get scammed over something. And the agricultural community is no exception. One of the latest instances involves... Read this article online
Canadian tech leads the way for egg gender testing Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash Canadian Egg Technologies and MatrixSpec Solutions Inc. have announced that their technology is delivering accurate in-ovo gender determination for white and brown eggs as early as the fourth day of incubation. Called a transformative breakthrough for... Read this article online
Nortera celebrates $25M expansion Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Nortera, a North American leader in frozen and canned vegetable processing, has celebrated the $25 million expansion of its Wright Street frozen warehouse in Strathroy, Ontario. This investment directly supports the local economy by sustaining over 270 jobs and strengthening... Read this article online
Profitable Pastures 2025 webinar series Wednesday, February 5, 2025 The Ontario Forage Council (OFC) has announced that its is back, providing best management practices for pasture and grazing managers. There will be three webinars airing daily from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm EST over March 4-6, 2025. Registration is required, but there is no cost to... Read this article online
OFA says farmers appreciate risk management program funding Increase Monday, February 3, 2025 Ontario farmers are expressing their support for the January 28, 2025, announcement that the provincial government is expanding risk management funding for farmers. Over the next three years, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness is phasing in a $100 million... Read this article online