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VICTORIA – A Ministerial Order under the Emergency Program Act will allow the provincial government to further support the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s work to control, eradicate and clean up avian influenza in the Fraser Valley.
The Ministerial Order sets out the regulatory groundwork – if needed – to take fast, effective action on disposal matters, including incineration. The order will allow for the disposal of infected chickens at the GVRD Waste to Energy Facility, should it be needed. The order is required as the incinerator near Princeton is at capacity.
The decision to establish this order was reached on the basis of the best advice of technical advisors at the federal, provincial and local level and after consultations at all levels of government.
On Feb. 19, 2004, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed the presence of avian influenza in the Fraser Valley area of southern British Columbia. Because avian influenza is very contagious among birds, the CFIA began a surveillance program and established movement restrictions for birds and bird products to stop the spread of avian influenza.
The industry is reaching capacity for storage of healthy poultry products within the control zone. The poultry industry is valued at over $300 million at the farm gate and over $850 million at the consumer level; 84 per cent of B.C.’s poultry production is in the Fraser Valley. The processing industry, which employs more than 2,000 people in the area, has begun layoffs.
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries John van Dongen has been meeting today with his federal counterpart Bob Speller and the B.C. poultry industry to look at further measures to address this situation.
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