Monday, August 1, 2016

Tribunal rejects quarantine compensation



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.