No worries.
Biosecurity on our farm, especially as we have a number of different animals, we are very often changing our boots and using boot dips. We have secured access zones and locks, as well as very robust rodent-control and pest-control programs. We are very aware of the biosecurity risks, having lived through the AI crisis of 2023 and 2022. We learned a lot. We take it very seriously, so much so that it affects our children's pet choices as well. We don't allow budgies or parrots in the house. It's a major concern for us.
Certainly, the impacts of avian influenza last year were quite extensive. For ourselves, we found it was a lot of extra work to go through all the regular biosecurity procedures, as well as being under higher media scrutiny as the event was unfolding. Of course, it died down from the media side as it went on.
We also had a significant amount of difficulty constantly educating people around us. We come from a very agricultural area with a lot of backyard flocks. My husband and I were often having conversations with people we knew—or people we didn't even know—about their responsibilities as chicken owners.
In the B.C. industry, of course, the egg supply dipped down so much that a lot of the grading staff had to be laid off, and a lot of truck drivers. It definitely had some major impacts on jobs in the larger sector. There's definitely strain on all aspects of the supply chain. It's difficult to replace a flock. Usually, we plan flocks about three years out in order to know how many birds we're going to need and to allow time for them to be properly grown.
I also need to mention that there are deep impacts on farmer mental health, especially in the Lower Mainland area. It's such a huge food-producing area. The Lower Mainland farmers went through COVID, then the heat domes, then the floods of 2022 and then straight into the AI outbreak. It's been very difficult for them to continue to rebuild.
Moving forward, I always like to look at what can be done to change.
I would like for you to consider hearing from the emergency operations committee in B.C. They did a phenomenal job of liaising between the poultry board producers and the CFIA.
Also, improve relationships between the CFIA and farmers. There was, I think, a lot of tension between farmers and government in trying to manage the disease and the outbreaks. Definitely have some training for CFIA staff on how to work with farmers, and also for farmers on how to work with the CFIA. A lot of very practical things came up. Farmers and CFIA staff took very different perspectives, which caused a lot of tension in the industry.
Moving forward, don't villainize farmers who have endured an outbreak. Ensure a continuity for farmers. If they have a case manager, don't reassign the case manager the next day. Be quick with funding and make the funding more comprehensive for farmers who have endured losses.
Also, consider alternatives for depopulating a flock. When farmers have to wait for the CFIA to come and take care of depopulation.... We saw flocks that were still there for five to seven days after they had been diagnosed. That's a very difficult position for farmers, as they have to, firstly, keep those birds alive. The feed to do so is very expensive. It also increases spread, if that's the case. Consider different alternatives.
In terms of AI, moving forward, animal improvements are very important. We're essentially monocropping with hens. Having different strains of breeds and different varieties would be helpful. Encourage some breeders in that direction and allow for vaccines.
It's my understanding that Canada has just decided to follow in the steps of the United States in terms of vaccine regulations. I believe that some of the vaccine regulations in America are more based on different trade regulations, so if Canada's able to come up with our own decisions there to allow for more robust vaccines, that would also be very helpful for farmers.