Chilliwack avian influenza case signals risks from wild bird migration

Sep 16, 2022

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed a commercial poultry farm in Chilliwack has tested positive for the H5 strain of the avian influenza virus.

The infected premises has been placed under quarantine by the CFIA, and the ministry has notified producers within a 10-kilometre radius of the positive test results. The CFIA is leading the investigation and response with provincial support for testing, mapping, surveillance and disposal.

B.C.’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food continues to work closely with the CFIA and the B.C. poultry industry to ensure enhanced prevention and preparedness measures are in place to protect poultry flocks, particularly as the fall bird migration begins. B.C.’s chief veterinarian has issued an order requiring regulated poultry producers with quota under Canada’s supply management system to keep birds indoors until further notice. The risk of avian influenza to poultry farms increases each spring and fall with the migration of wild waterfowl and other wild birds to and through British Columbia.

To extend that preparation to smaller operations, B.C. government veterinary specialists will host public information sessions in 11 communities for small-flock poultry owners to help them prevent, recognize and report the virus. The sessions are being scheduled for late September until November to reach small flock owners in the Cariboo, Okanagan, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, Prince George area and Vancouver Island, with the schedules and locations to be announced once confirmed.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.