B.C. responds to global avian influenza concerns

In December, the B.C. Chicken Marketing Board advised all poultry farms in the province to move to yellow biosecurity status because of the worsening avian influenza (AI) situation in Europe.

The continent recorded 442 highly pathogenic AI cases last year.

This continued problem has some in the B.C. poultry industry concerned as, in 2014, numerous AI outbreaks in Europe and Asia preceded infections in commercial chicken farms in the province.

Shortly after that, the virus appeared in wild birds in northwest Washington and eventually spread across much of North America.

For more information on the yellow biosecurity status, click here.