NEW ENTRANT GROWER (NEG) PROGRAM CONSULTATION UPDATE

POLICY DECISION ON HOLD

The BC Chicken Marketing Board (BCCMB) completed

its three-month New Entrant Grower (NEG) program consultation on April 30, 2024.



In June, the Board made the decision to put the final policy and program decision for the *NEW* NEG Program in abeyance until the Board can complete a consultation on Quota Use and Access (QUAC) in BC’s chicken industry. Currently there is no centralized platform (quota exchange) for growers to transfer chicken quota in BC.

The abeyance of an NEG program decision will provide the Board with the opportunity to review industry input on both fundamental policy areas in the context of its larger strategic plan objectives. The goal is to ensure that policy and program decisions complement one another and align with the Board’s strategic goal of having up-to-date and progressive policies that facilitate an innovative and growing chicken industry in BC.

Please see the consultation link for more information.

Link to NEG webpage here

AIV WAVE 3 REPORT - INDUSTRY BRIEF

The third ‘wave’ of HPAI H5N1 in BC occurred from

October 20, 2023, to January 22, 2024.

During this period, a total of 54 poultry farms were infected

(Infected Premises [IPs] 105-158).

A total of 134 HPAI-infected wild birds were detected between September and December 2023. The majority of these infected wild birds and poultry farms were concentrated in the Fraser Valley.

Please see the Office of the CVO Summary provided here



HPAI IN LIVESTOCK

While highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) primarily occurs in wild birds and has been infecting domestic poultry in Canada since late 2021, new detections of HPAI have been found in US dairy cattle.

There have been no detections of avian influenza in Canadian dairy cattle. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is monitoring the US situation carefully and has implemented import restrictions on lactating US dairy cows.

For more information, read the notice here

REMINDER

FOR GROWERS 

We would like to remind you to deposit your Surplus 2021-2022 cheques that were distributed by the Board at the end of May 2024.

If you have already received your cheque, please ensure to deposit it promptly and make use of the additional funds for your business without delay.

However, if you have not yet received your cheque, we urge you to reach out to our Controller, Guzel Gafurova, at guzelgafurova@bcchicken.ca to address any concerns or clarifications regarding the situation. It is important that these funds are utilized efficiently for the benefit of your business, so we kindly request that you do not hold onto them unnecessarily.

Thank you for your cooperation and prompt attention to this matter.

If you have any further questions or require assistance,

please do not hesitate to contact us.