More than 200 people gathered at Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, British Columbia, on Saturday to protest the planned cull of 399 birds due to bird flu. The protesters, who have been camping at the farm since Friday night, say they plan to stay longer.
"We’re planning to remain peaceful, loving, and lawful while opposing the cull," said Jim Kerr. "We intend to slow them down" if authorities arrive, Kerr warned.
Regional District Response
The Regional District of Central Kootenay passed a resolution stating it would not allow Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) disposal of ostrich carcasses in their landfills pending further testing for avian flu. Some opponents interpret this as meaning carcasses will be rejected unless they test positive for avian flu.
CFIA Operations
The CFIA claims that despite veterinary oversight being involved during operations—scheduled without prior notice—no information about operation dates or plans will be shared publicly ahead of time. Avian influenza was detected on Universal Ostrich Farm back in December, and following a federal court ruling last week supporting an earlier decision made by CFIA officials regarding euthanizing all remaining birds, this now stands as a final order from health agency officials.
Impact of Avian Influenza
The total number of birds killed so far across British Columbia is over 8.7 million since the first cases appeared on farms in the spring of two years ago.
A group of more than 200 people gathered at Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood Saturday morning after news came out that the CFIA had scheduled euthanasia operations for Monday. They were protesting against what they see as unnecessary slaughter due to bird flu.
Kerr, who has been camping out overnight with his family, emphasized the intention for protesters "to slow them down" if authorities arrive but added he doesn’t want violence or confrontation with police officers who may come onto private property where protesters are camped out.
Ongoing Concerns
On Thursday evening, the Regional District of Central Kootenay passed a resolution stating it would not allow CFIA disposal of ostrich carcasses in their landfills pending further testing for avian flu. Some interpret this as meaning carcasses will be rejected unless they test positive for avian flu, while others argue it’s simply a precaution until more is known about the safety of burying the bodies.
In response, the CFIA claims that despite veterinary oversight, no information about operation dates or plans will be shared publicly ahead of time. Staff members working under direction from Ottawa headquarters only receive details shortly before each event takes place, leading to little chance for anyone outside the government to know exactly when these events occur.
Avian influenza was detected on Universal Ostrich Farm back in December, following an initial outbreak reported early last month. The federal court ruling last week supported the earlier decision made by CFIA officials regarding euthanizing all remaining birds, although the exact timeline remains unclear due to a lack of transparency around scheduling procedures currently employed nationwide.
As of now, the situation continues to evolve, with multiple cases spreading rapidly across the province, marking another day of significant losses in the poultry industry.
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