Friday, November 21, 2014

Black pondering end run on raising chickens

Glenn Black of Providence Bay, Manitoulin Island, is pondering an end run on chicken board regulations to raise up to 900 birds per year.

His idea is to rent two farms where he will raise the maximum 300 birds on each per year, and to raise another 300 on his home farm.

Black says this will be legal under existing chicken board regulations and will enable him to raise chickens for local consumers.

But he also says he expects the chicken board will close this option as soon as it learns he or others are using it.

The chicken board has refused petitions to increase the annual limit that can be raised without quota from 300 to 2,500 birds.

Black has lost attempts to appeal this decision to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Tribunal.

He recently filed an application asking the tribunal to reconsider its decisions.


Black is raising one meat-bird chicken per year and keeps just under the limit of 100 egg-laying birds to supply neighbours with eggs.