The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced on Friday that a mutation of avian flu, not previously seen in Canada, has been detected at a B.C. ostrich farm named Universal Ostrich Farms located in Edgewood. This particular strain of the virus has a genotype that has previously been linked to a human infection in a poultry worker in Ohio.
CFIA reported that Universal Ostrich Farms had been fined $20,000 for failing to comply with avian flu control measures. They noted that the farmers at the site have resisted a mandated cull and provided unsubstantiated claims about scientific research being conducted on the birds. Despite ongoing protests aimed at halting the cull, the agency is moving forward with its plans.
The situation has gained further attention following a letter from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who requested that the CFIA consider saving the birds for joint research endeavors. Similarly, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, offered to relocate the ostriches to his ranch in Florida, supporting the idea that they should be preserved rather than culled.
In its statement, CFIA revealed it had issued two violation notices to the farm over the past year for not reporting illnesses and fatalities in the flock, as well as failing to adhere to quarantine orders. The farm's inability to implement proper biosecurity measures—such as restricting wild bird access to the ostriches, controlling water flow from the quarantine zone, and insufficient fencing—has significantly increased the risk of disease spread, according to the agency.
Katie Pasitney, whose parents manage the farm, expressed uncertainty about the implications of the fines and commented that “nothing surprises me at this point.” For weeks, dozens of protesters have gathered at the farm, and their ranks swelled on Friday with a convoy of at least a dozen vehicles, as captured in social media livestreams.
In December and January, an avian flu outbreak resulted in the deaths of 69 ostriches at the farm. The owners maintain that the surviving 400 birds have developed herd immunity and are a valuable resource for scientific inquiry. However, CFIA stated that it has not received any credible evidence supporting ongoing research at the infected premises. The agency indicated that the necessary documentation was not presented during the review process for the farmers' request for exemption from the culling order.
The farm owners' attempt to secure a judicial review to stop the cull was denied on May 13, with a Federal Court judge ruling in favor of CFIA's actions. Although they filed an appeal against this decision, they have yet to obtain a stay on the cull order, prompting an increased presence of supporters and activists at the farm to protect the flock.
CFIA highlighted that the delay in the cull, prompted by the presence of protesters, poses ongoing health risks to both animals and humans. The agency reiterated that with confirmed cases of the H5N1 strain of avian flu within the flock, decisive action is needed to address the threat to public health and trade. With veterinary oversight, CFIA continues to prepare for the humane depopulation of the infected birds at the premises to mitigate health risks.
