Glenn Black of Canadian Small Flockers has followed up
concerns about antimicrobials with a blistering critique of biosecurity measures
in the Canadian chicken industry.
His concerns are relevant to recent outbreaks of avian
influenza in Oxford County and fear among Ontario’s poultry farmers.
“I have reviewed the HPAI (ie. Avian Influenza)
biosecurity info and protocols from CFO ( Chicken Farmers of Ontario marketing
board), CFC (Chicken Farmers of Canada national supply-management agency), CFIA
(Canadian Food Inspection Agency) and OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs) that are available on the Internet.,” he says in a
letter to the agriculture ministers and the chicken supply management leaders.
“I believe all of it is lacking in comprehensiveness,
and leave wide gaps on risk-based action protocols where your protocols are
silent, make weak recommendations, or don't fully explain the risk mechanism
and its probability, severity, and/or detectability; all of which I believe is
putting Canada's poultry industry at elevated & unnecessary risk,” Black
says.
“Since 85 per cent or more of the HPAI infections
occur (or are at risk of occurring) in the CAFO (Concentrated Agriculture
Farming Operations) mega poultry factories, I believe the supply management
poultry system has the primary responsibility of correcting and closing these
biosecurity gaffs as soon as possible.
He outlines four points, then refers them to a website
where he has outlined more details.
1.
Between your four organizations, there is likely
dozens of staff with responsibility for poultry biosecurity under the supply management
("SM") banner. Why is it, in spite of this huge resource and
more than 18 years forewarning and time to prepare, your SM systems haven't
previously detected and fixed these huge errors?
2.
Why is it that a Small Flock poultry farmer with
extremely limited resources is finding your SM biosecurity holes for you?
3.
What does this example tell Canadians about the
competency and effectiveness of Canada's chicken Supply Management System?
The website reference is: http-//canadiansmallfloc#1B191A
.
