Through the spring and fall of 2022, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (HPAI) triggered the on-farm culling of over 1.4 million birds in Alberta. This new research investment aims to reduce the impact of future HPAI outbreaks and is crucial to securing a safe food supply and a stable poultry industry in Alberta.
To support Alberta’s poultry industry, RDAR, Alberta Chicken Producers (ACP), and Egg Farmers of Alberta (EFA) awarded $733,801 to avian virologist Dr. Faizal Careem, University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, to lead a vital HPAI research project. The investment, including $633,801 from RDAR, will help define effective, science-driven biosecurity procedures, and outbreak control measures.
“Last year, we saw the devastating impact HPAI can have on poultry producers, with over a million animals lost for dozens of producers. This research funding will help us understand more about the disease so we can lessen the damage of future outbreaks and strengthen Alberta’s poultry sector,” says RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.
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