Seven
chicken farmers who sought compensation for being caught in an avian-influenza
quarantine zone last year have been told their marketing board is not to blame.
The
quarantine was imposed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Ontario
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal has ruled after a hearing
to determine whether it has jurisdiction in the case.
The
tribunal said the marketing board’s policies and responsibilities are, in this
case, limited to penalties for over-production or under-production.
The seven
producers sought compensation for lost profits when they were unable to place
new flocks in their barns because the CFIA quarantine zone allows no poultry
products to move in or out of the zone until the virus has been eliminated to
the CFIA’s satisfaction.
The seven
farms involved in the case are Howe Farms (Ontario) Ltd.,
Glen Ridge Farms Ltd., Slegh Farms Ltd., Jeff and Cathy Dibble, Maple Hill
Farms Zorra Ltd., Pondview Farms Ltd., and Van De Camp Farms Ltd.
There was no public notice of the hearing and the tribunal
did not post it on its schedule of hearings.
