Avian influenza outbreaks have been reported in seven locations within British Columbia’s Fraser Valley this month, with six new cases emerging since Thursday. Local farmers are taking extensive measures to safeguard their poultry flocks.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that seven commercial poultry farms in Abbotsford and Chilliwack have been affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza. Fraser Valley egg farmer Mark Siemens highlighted the escalating challenge of dealing with avian flu in British Columbia.
Siemens emphasized the annual struggle farmers face in keeping their birds healthy and safe. Amid the outbreak, all commercial farms in the region have implemented strict biosecurity protocols, including keeping birds indoors, closed farm gates, vehicle disinfection, and mandatory protective gear for all workers.
Reflecting on a previous avian flu outbreak last year, Siemens described the emotional toll of having to cull exposed birds on a farm. Shawn Hall, the spokesperson for the B.C. Poultry Association, explained that the virus primarily spreads through migrating waterfowl, especially ducks, geese, and swans, which pass through B.C. on their seasonal journey.
Hall underscored ongoing efforts to enhance biosecurity measures and research projects aimed at mitigating the risk of avian flu. He reassured consumers that avian influenza does not pose a food safety threat, emphasizing Canada’s stringent food safety regulations.
Both Hall and Siemens noted an increased risk of avian flu since 2022. The CFIA reported that approximately 8.8 million birds in British Columbia have either perished or been culled due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype, representing over half of the total affected birds in Canada.
