Emily Crocco, chair of the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal, has tossed a fine levied against Mid Peninsula Carriers Inc., a sister company of Moonfleet Poultry Inc. of Fergus, over trucking chickens to a packing plant.
It was an official from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs who investigated, although the alleged violations were of the federal government’s Health of Animals Regulations.
Inspector Vadym Turchenko said dead and dying birds reported by Abate Rabbit Packers included ones at the bottom level of the truck and were wet because it rained all night.
But weather data entered as evidence indicated there was no rain. And Turchenko arrived at the plant hours after the chickens had been unloaded and could not know whether they were in crates at the bottom of the truck.
Speculation about how they might have got wet was just that – speculation.
It was the third tribunal win in as many days for Moonfleet.
