Canada expanding surveillance, increasing testing for avian flu

May 08, 2024

OTTAWA - The Canadian government is expanding its surveillance program for a form of avian flu amid a growing outbreak in U.S. dairy cattle.

Fragments of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been detected in pasteurized milk sold in the U.S. and a statement from Canada's health agencies says lactating dairy cattle being imported from the United States will now require negative tests.

The statement says officials will be conducting enhanced testing of milk at the retail level to look for viral fragments.

It says voluntary testing will also be available for cows that are not presenting with clinical signs of HPAI, as part of "enhanced industry biosecurity efforts."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said last week about 20 per cent of milk samples from across the country tested positive for fragments of avian flu.

Click here to see more...

Video: Cheapest States to Buy Farmland in America

The United States has more than 895 million acres of farmland, which includes all rural land tied to farming operations, from highly fertile Midwest cornfields to vast grazing ranges in the West, as well as the undeveloped rural land, which is often sold as ranches, homesteads, or uncultivated lots. Nowadays investing in rural land is very lucrative even billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett have bought up thousands of acres of farmland across America. In contrast to investors, agricultural companies, and business moguls, some buy farmland for their own requisites, like starting a small farmstead, creating a cottage, and becoming self-resilient. In this video we have ranked the top cheapest states to buy farmland according to the per-acre land value, which is accumulated from the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s per-acre land values come from an annual survey, which is cross-checked with actual sales data, appraisals, and market trends to ensure accuracy. So here are The top Cheapest States to Buy Farmland.