It is transferring staff from
other regions of Canada to speed the investigation which so far involves
quarantines on about 35 ranches.
The CFIA says that, depending on
its findings, that may increase.
The investigation was prompted by
the discovery of one tuberculosis-infected cow shipped to a packing plant in
the United States.
As this investigation involves a
significant number of herds and requires the tracing of the movement of animals
for the past five years plus testing, it is not expected to be completed for
several months.
“We recognize that the
quarantines and movement controls are having a significant impact on producers,
especially those that planned on fall sales of their animals,” the CFA says on
its website.
“The CFIA
will pay compensation to producers as quickly as possible for any animals
ordered destroyed.
“Producers may be eligible for
assistance for expenses not covered by the CFIA's
compensation authority from other programs involving Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada and Alberta Agriculture and Forests,” it says on the website.
