A group of over 200 people gathered at Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, B.C., on Saturday to protest the planned culling of 399 birds due to bird flu. The protesters have been camping on the farm grounds.
The farm lost its court battle after a Federal Court ruling upheld a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) decision that avian flu was present on the property, leading to the planned cull.
Local Government Response
- The Regional District of Central Kootenay passed a resolution on Thursday, prohibiting CFIA from disposing of ostrich carcasses in local landfills until further testing for avian flu is conducted.
- Despite this resolution, CFIA has stated it will proceed with the culling, regardless of potential landfill issues.
Farm Owner’s Concerns
Farm owner Katie Pasitney expressed frustration over the lack of trust and transparency throughout the process leading up to the planned cull. She stated, "I hadn’t received communication from CFIA regarding their intentions as yet."
Broader Context
The protest is part of a larger effort by farmers and communities affected by highly infectious avian influenza, which has impacted farms since spring 2022. Over 8.7 million birds have been culled in B.C. since then, including those at Universal Ostrich Farm, which had previously avoided being affected by this outbreak.
Ongoing Demonstrations
Peaceful demonstrations are continuing into Sunday morning, with plans for more protests ahead as protesters seek to save the ostriches from being culled.
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
