Ministers Tour Farm at the Centre of Bovine TB Outbreak

While in Alberta this week, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, joined Oneil Carlier, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, to tour the once-quarantined Alberta farm where the first confirmed case of bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) was detected in September 2016

Bovine TB posed a serious challenge for affected livestock producers and Canada’s cattle industry. Federal and provincial officials worked closely with the sector to take appropriate measures to contain the disease, and to reduce the financial impact on farm operations.

“The lifting of the quarantine is testament to the effectiveness of Alberta’s livestock traceability programs”

 

“Our producers raise the best beef and our customers around the world are demanding more of it,” MacAulay stated. “Lifting all quarantines is a positive step forward for Canada’s cattle industry, demonstrating the value of our collaborative response and ongoing surveillance efforts.

Affected producers received $39 million in federal compensation for animals ordered destroyed and tax relief. In addition, a Canada-Alberta AgriRecovery initiative provided up to $15 million in assistance to cover the extraordinary costs resulting from the quarantine measures.

“The support provided through the AgriRecovery framework was essential in helping our ranchers recover from the impacts of last year’s bovine TB outbreak and demonstrates our collective recognition of the challenges producers endure in extraordinary situations like this,” Carlier said. “The lifting of the quarantine is testament to the effectiveness of Alberta’s livestock traceability programs, the strength of our partnership with the federal government and the resilience of Alberta’s beef producers.”

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) removed all quarantines from farms with cattle in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in February 2018. All premises with cattle have been tested and no additional cases of bovine TB have been detected.

MacAulay added, “Our Government will continue to work with our provincial and industry partners to give Canada’s beef industry a competitive edge that will open doors here in Canada, and around the world.”

Canadian Press