Key takeaways:
- ‘We’re overwrought right out,’ declares vice-president of the Turkey Farmers of Nova Scotia.
- The turkeys are in New Brunswick, where the H5N1 avian Flu has not been seen.
Avian Flu concerns Nova Scotia:
Nova Scotia’s poultry enterprise is on edge following the detection of avian Flu in the region earlier this month.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approved highly pathogenic avian influenza, H5N1, at a mixed farm in western Nova Scotia. Because of this, the agency set “movement restrictions” and has suggested “enhanced biosecurity” for other farms within the location, such as wearing specified clothing and boots when entering flock areas, routinely washing anything that comes into touch with the flock, and controlling access to the birds.
“Farmers, we’re nervous. We’re overwrought right out. Source – cbc.ca
This is something new… We’ve never dealt with anything like this earlier,” Lori Ansems, vice-president of the Turkey Farmers of Nova Scotia, informed CBC’s Mainstreet Halifax in an interview on Wednesday.
Ansems, who has a ranch of her own, told her she’s sure farmers will guide their way through this outbreak.
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“It’s going to take time, and we’re helping the CFIA to guarantee that there is no further spread of this virus,” Ansems stated.
Before this month, 12,000 turkeys had to be euthanized after avian influenza was seen at a farm in western Nova Scotia. Ansems stated the effect would be “unprecedented, fantastic.” Source – cbc.ca
Mainstreet NS10:32Here’s what’s happening with the avian flu outburst in Nova Scotia.
As Nova Scotia deals with its first avian flu outbreak, guest host Preston Mulligan talks with Lisa Bishop-Spencer of Chicken Farmers of Canada and Lori Ansems of Turkey Farmers of Nova Scotia for the latest stories.
“I couldn’t even start to picture a farmer going through a case like that,” Ansems stated. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency stated a 10-kilometer zone was selected at impacted farms with “movement control actions and enhanced biosecurity to restrict any possible spread of the disease.” Source – cbc.ca
