The Fraser Valley Poultry farmers who have been forced to destroy their flocks – up to 155,000 birds at last count – will be entitled to be compensated for their losses.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) the compensation provided is based on the market value of the birds based on current animal inventories, receipts, sales records and registration papers.
The CFIA says that, once animals have been evaluated, farmers will receive a signed copy of a compensation evaluation form which they may appeal within three months of the evaluation.
Compensation is provided under the auspices of the Health of Animals Act.
For a full description of the procedure for applying for and receiving compensation simply click here.
Avian Flu In The Fraser Valley
The Avian flu has a history in the Fraser Valley though the last two incidents pale in comparison to the crisis of 2004. While request for government bailouts to the industry were rejected some still criticize the industry for endangering itself by concentrating itself so much in such a small geographic area.
The industry has taken a number of measures to isolate farms from one another, keep workers or other visitors to farms from taking any disease which may be present with them and of intervening quickly in cases of outbreaks such as this one.
- 2004 a variant of avian flu with high capacity to cause and spread disease led to the slaughter of 17 million birds and left a lasting impact on the industry.
- 2005 H5 avian flu was discovered in Yarrow and 60,000 birds were euthanized.
- 2009 H5 avian flu was discovered on two Abbotsford farms resulting in the quarantine of 41 farms and the killing of 72,000 birds.