A local farmer says that just under 400 animals in his care have been impacted by the avian flu outbreak.
Jim Lester, owner of Lester’s Farm Chalet says that he was first made aware of an ‘unusual mortality’ in one of the chicken pens this past December. He says they immediately notified local veterinarians of the situation, with a post-mortem examination being carried out. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency eventually took over the investigation, confirming the presence of the Avian Flu virus at the farm on December 21st.
Lester says the virus has only impacted chickens, and while some managed to survive, the impact is devastating.
He says some survived and recovered, but out of an abundance of caution, all feathered animals on the property were seized and destroyed by the CFIA.
Lester says for the time being, they are adhering to quarantine restrictions implemented by the CFIA, which impacts the barn and barnyard areas only. While there are currently no feathered animals on the property, he says they do plan to raise birds on the farm in the future.
When asked about the effect the outbreak will have on food supply, Lester says this issue has become a global one.
He says he would like to be ‘super optimistic’ that this will be the only case of Avian Flu in an agricultural setting, but it is a virus that is in over 40 countries. Not only will it impact the way we live, but it alters the way we produce food.