By Mark Reusser, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
As farmers, we know that it’s the finite details that make all the difference. This could be closing the latch on a gate, applying the parking brake, or checking your blind spot when making a left-hand turn. Biosecurity includes a collection of those details to maintain safety standards and protect livestock and crops from potentially devastating disease outbreaks. Biosecurity plays a critical role in the safe and sustainable production of food, fibre and fuel all around the world. A shared responsibility is required to protect the health and welfare of vulnerable populations and to avoid major economic loss.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) understands there is a shared responsibility among those across the agriculture industry, including farmers, input suppliers, farm maintenance representatives and animal welfare service providers, to implement and enforce biosecurity measures to achieve market stability in all sectors. Diseases and pests can have significant economic consequences, and have the potential to seriously damage livestock, poultry, and crop operations locally, provincially, nationally, and internationally. Biosecurity practices are essential to animal welfare, maintaining market access and preventing the occurrence of foreign animal disease in Canada. These practices demonstrate our commitment to animal health and food safety because as farmers, we work hard to supply a safe and sustainable food supply for all Canadians.
In terms of livestock, the poultry and pork sectors are most vulnerable to outbreaks. Commodity organizations in Ontario provide recommendations to their producers which include locking all entrances to barns, maintaining a daily log that records every visitor in the barn, having footwear and outerwear specific to being in the barn, and occasionally a shower-in shower-out policy. In addition, acknowledging biosecurity zones with proper signage can help instruct those who may not be familiar with the significance of biosecurity measures. Farmers must also understand that it is an obligation to report any new sickness in your barn to both the vet and commodity organization. This can act as a preventative measure to get the disease under immediate control and avoid the risk of wide circulation. Preventing wild birds or rodents from entering the barn is another important way to avoid introducing a new disease to livestock and poultry. Biosecurity is always important, but it is especially vital when disease outbreaks are occurring provincially, nationally or internationally. When a disease outbreak occurs, it is important to react immediately. This may involve implementing practices that have commonly been used in the past or turning to new tactics as the situation evolves. In the case of Avian Influenza (AI), this is an evolving situation that all poultry farmers across Ontario have heightened awareness of.