June 17, 2004

B.C. Poultry Industry Request For $340 million In Rapid Recovery Support

Federal Action and Recovery Management Support Now (FARMS Now) - an initiative of thousands of B.C. poultry farmers, poultry industry businesses, poultry sector workers and communities affected by avian influenza - today appealed to Canada's federal political leaders to pledge $340 million in rapid recovery support to help the poultry industry get back to business as quickly as possible, and prevent another disastrous outbreak of avian influenza in other parts of the country.
 

The request came at a community event in Abbotsford, which drew industry representatives and concerned citizens from across B.C. in support of the poultry industry.
 

The funds will go to assisting farmers and poultry industry businesses like processors, feed mills and hatcheries recover from the depopulation of more than 70 per cent of B.C.'s commercial flocks in response to the outbreak of avian influenza. FARMS Now is also asking for an investment in a national emergency response system and upgraded provincial animal health lab equipment to help prevent and contain new incidents of avian influenza.
 

"Avian influenza has taken a devastating toll on B.C. poultry farmers, their employees, their industry infrastructure and their communities," said FARMS Now spokesperson Ray Nickel. "Without rapid recovery support, people working within the poultry industry will face undue hardship and many elements of the industry may never return to normal operations."
 

Since avian influenza was first discovered on an Abbotsford farm in February, more than 17 million chickens, turkey, geese and ducks have been depopulated in B.C.'s Fraser Valley in order to eradicate avian influenza.
 

The provincial poultry industry is losing $8 million per week and has already lost more than $60 million. In just four months, 1,700 jobs have also disappeared - more than one third of the industry's entire workforce. The total estimated cost to the industry is expected to reach $400 million during the two years it will take to fully recover from the disaster. This does not include the economic ripple effect on the businesses in poultry farming communities.
 

"From the moment we heard about the outbreak of avian influenza, we supported the depopulation plan and cooperated with federal authorities every step of the way, because we knew it was the right thing to do," said Nickel. "But we're hurting now and we're asking for help."
 

While the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has allocated $60 million for the poultry industry, it will only compensate a small number of hundreds of farmers who depopulated their flocks. Moreover, the poultry industry's vital infrastructure is not covered by any federal compensation programs.
 

As a result, the poultry industry is asking federal leaders to:

• Make immediate available access to the $340 million necessary for recovery.
  
  
• Ensure federal action and recovery support are available to the poultry industry's infrastructure as well. These businesses include processors, feed mills, hatcheries, sawdust providers, trucking companies, catching crews and other suppliers.
  
  
• Establish a National Emergency Response System to allow planning and acquisition of equipment to ensure containment within a 24-hour period of a suspicious avian influenza test. The cost of this system would be approximately $10 million.
  
  
• Upgrade provincial animal health lab equipment across Canada to facilitate cost-effective and timely volume sampling and diagnostic monitoring of poultry flocks.
  
  
• Participate in a post-avian flu review with industry stakeholders that develops effective prevention and containment measures to minimize the possibility of such a catastrophe happening again. 

"By supporting rapid recovery support, our federal leaders can demonstrate their vision, leadership and respect for the issues of concern to British Columbians," said Rick Thiessen, who read the letter to the leaders at the community event on behalf of FARMS Now. "We look forward to hearing their response by June 21, 2004."
 

The B.C. poultry industry is a major economic contributor to communities across the province and the country. It employs more than 5,000 people and generates more than $1 billion a year in revenue.