Insurance coverage for Reovirus available to Ontario chicken farmers

Jan 23, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON – Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) has launched a new poultry disease insurance peril ensuring Ontario’s family-run chicken farms will be protected if chickens contract Reovirus disease — a viral arthritis that causes inflammation of the leg joints or tendons in poultry.

Reovirus is the second poultry disease included in the CFO disease insurance platform, which started with basic coverage for avian influenza in 2018. The new reovirus coverage is being provided by Poultry Insurance Exchange (PIE), a reciprocal which delivers insurance and risk management services to members of the poultry industry in Canada.

“Ontario has experienced the impact that disease poses for our sector,” said Murray Opsteen, Chair, Chicken Farmers of Ontario. “We know that avian influenza is a global threat to poultry production and the entire Canadian chicken industry has been managing through the most recent outbreaks since onset in the spring of 2022. Reovirus is a threat as well, which is why the CFO Board has been working to provide this additional insurance peril – bolstering our risk management strategy and further supporting our farmers.”

The new PIE reovirus insurance coverage includes elements such as veterinary fees, laboratory fees, cleaning and disinfection fees and a quantification model designed to assist farmers with loss of income.

“PIE is pleased to begin offering reovirus insurance to CFO farmers,” said André Bourbonnière, incoming General Manager, PIE. “Our objective is to provide value and benefit to the poultry sector through co-operation in risk management and offering quality products – the latest being safeguarding Ontario chicken farmers against financial loss caused by reovirus.”

“This new insurance peril is a positive advancement within our risk management framework and is being implemented as a deliverable of the 2023-2025 CFO Strategic Plan,” said Denise Hockaday, Chief Executive Officer, Chicken Farmers of Ontario. “We would like to thank the Ontario chicken industry value chain, namely the Association of Ontario Chicken Processors and Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg & Chick Commission, for their advocacy and support of this important initiative.”

CFO farmers can access detailed information on reovirus basic coverage elements and subscribers’ agreements on the Farmer Dashboard.

Source : Farmersforum

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