Issuu

HPAI: Vaccination gains ground p.12

September 2026

Filtration: Bolstering defences p.16

Roundup: New biosecurity tools p.20

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CONTENTS

September 2026 Vol. 113, No. 6 canadianpoultrymag.com

16 COLUMNS

8 DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

04 | From the editor Biosecurity is becoming part of the blueprint 20 | Roundup What’s new in biosecurity 21 | Classifieds

06 | Cracking Condemns Cellulitis risk factors 22 | Building Bridges Lessons from the Tartan Army

COVER STORY Building barriers New requirements are reshaping barn entrances on Canadian broiler farms.

Vaccination gains ground Countries expand HPAI vaccination as surveillance and trade rules evolve.

Filtering the threat B.C. poultry producers are adopting new technologies to reduce the risk of HPAI.

ON THE COVER In our cover story, learn how new physical barrier requirements are helping Canadian broiler producers strengthen barn biosecurity against HPAI. See page 8.

ISSN 1703-2911. Canadian Poultry is published 10 times per year by Annex Business Media. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40065710. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department, 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto ON M2H 3R1. No part of the editorial content in this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. © 2026 Annex Business Media. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of this publication. Printed in Canada.

From the Editor

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by Brett Ruffell

Biosecurity is becoming part of the blueprint

hen highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) first swept through Canada, much of the industry’s focus was understandably on emergency response. Producers tightened access, governments responded to outbreaks and everyone hoped the next migration season would be less severe than the last. Years later, it’s becoming clear that biosecurity is entering a new phase.

“Good biosecurity depends on people, but good design can make doing the right thing easier, every single day.” Rather than asking how to respond to the next outbreak, the poultry industry is increasingly asking how farms should be designed, managed and equipped to reduce risk every day. That’s an important shift, and one reflected throughout this issue of Canadian Poultry. Our cover story examines Chicken Farmers of Canada’s new requirement for physical barriers at broiler barn entrances. On the surface, it might seem like a relatively small change. In reality, it represents something much larger. The industry is moving beyond recommendations and relying more on proven practices that encourage consistent behaviour. Good biosecurity depends on people, but good design can make doing the right thing easier, every single day. The same thinking is evident elsewhere. British Columbia produ-

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cers are investing in filtered positive-pressure ventilation and UV treatment systems to reduce the risk of airborne disease introduction. These technologies require significant investment, but they also demonstrate a willingness to look beyond traditional approaches when circumstances demand it. Globally, the conversation is evolving as well. More countries are incorporating vaccination into their HPAI strategies, recognizing that biosecurity and vaccination are complementary rather than competing tools. While Canada continues to evaluate its own path forward, international experience is providing valuable lessons on surveillance, trade and implementation. What ties these stories together is a simple reality: there is no single solution. Physical barriers will not stop every disease. Filtration cannot eliminate every risk. Vaccination is not a substitute for strong farm management. But layered together, these measures strengthen the industry’s ability to prevent disease before it reaches the flock. That philosophy has long guided food safety, animal welfare and barn management. It is now becoming the foundation of modern biosecurity. Disease threats remain real, but so does the industry’s capacity to adapt. Across Canada, producers continue to invest, innovate and refine their practices, not because perfection is possible, but because every improvement helps protect their birds, their businesses and the future of Canadian poultry production.

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Reader Service Print and digital subscription inquiries or changes, please contact Angelita Potal, Customer Service Rep. Tel: (416) 510-5113 Email: apotal@annexbusinessmedia.com Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 Editor Brett Ruffell bruffell@annexbusinessmedia.com 226-971-2133 Brand Sales Manager Ross Anderson randerson@annexbusinessmedia.com Cell: 289-925-7565 Account Coordinator Julie Montgomery jmontgomery@annexbusinessmedia.com 416-510-5163 Media Designer Alison Keba Group Publisher & VP, Content Strategy Michelle Bertholet mbertholet@annexbusinessmedia.com Audience Development Manager Anita Madden amadden@annexbusinessmedia.com 416-510-5183 CEO Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 Printed in Canada ISSN 1703-2911 Subscription Rates Canada - Single-copy $10.00 Canada – 1 Year $34.48 Canada – 2 years $58.87 (plus applicable taxes) USA – 1 Year $97.06 CDN Foreign – 1 Year $109.79 CDN GST - #867172652RT0001 Occasionally, Canadian Poultry Magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374 No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2026 Annex Business Media. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication.

Cracking Condemns By Dr. Gigi Lin

Dr. Gigi Lin is a board-certified poultry veterinarian. She provides diagnostic, research, consultation, continuing education, and field services to all levels of the poultry industry in Western Canada. In this new column, she will help producers understand and prevent condemnations.

Identifying cellulitis risk factors

Physical environment The most logical place to start is to eliminate areas that could easily cause skin damage. Obvious exam6

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ples include sharp edges on older metal feeder pans and damaged plastic on water lines. We also need to observe how birds behave in the barn. We often focus on stocking density as a simple number, but from a cellulitis perspective, it is more about how those birds move and interact. It isn’t just about having enough feeders; it is about making sure the birds don’t feel the need to scramble. If your feeder heights are inconsistent or if the birds are flighty due to sudden noises or poor lighting transitions, the flock will be prone to scratches. Uncomfortable or inconsistent environments are major triggers for this behaviour. Competition for resources is particularly damaging. For instance, when birds have been without feed or water due to a line outage, the resulting rush once the equipment is restored leads to birds trampling one another. Other stressors, such as flickering lights, rodent activities or heavy machinery operating outside the barn, can startle the flock and cause piling. I remember working on a case where a farm improved its condemnation rate significantly just by upgrading to a lighting system with a dimmer, allowing for a gradual, calm

Maintaining drinker lines and the surrounding litter is one of several management practices that can help reduce the risk of cellulitis in broiler flocks.

“Cellulitis is rarely caused by just one mistake.”

transition from light to dark. These behaviours are worsened in high-density environments, especially during the finisher phase where space is more limited. Don’t forget pockets of the barn that encourage crowding. For example, a cold draft might push birds to huddle in groups, or poor light distribution might create shadows and bright spots that cause them to pack into certain areas. This uneven distribution creates a high-traffic zone where the number of accidental scratches increases significantly. Bacteria reservoir The barn environment will never be sterile, so our goal is to minimise the bacterial load. Beyond physical damage caused by coarse or cakey litter, wet litter acts as a massive reservoir for bacterial growth and colonisation. Pay extra attention to the areas under the feed lines and around the drinkers, as these are typically the hot spots for moisture and high bird traffic. Since litter quality is so central to both skin health and general bird health, my next column will focus specifically on the relationship between litter quality, gut health and bird performance. Hidden impacts from immunosuppression If a skin abrasion is minor or if the birds have enough time to heal, a healthy immune system will facilitate skin repair and minimise further infection. However, when a flock is co-infected with infectious bursal disease (IBD) or other disease challenges, the immune system becomes overwhelmed. In these situations, a minor scratch that should have healed can become a systemic issue. September 2026

PHOTO: LU B I NG

n the first part of this series, we covered the pathogenesis and impacts of cellulitis. If you talk to 10 different producers, you will probably get 10 different stories about when and why it shows up. This is because cellulitis is rarely caused by just one mistake. In many cases, it is a combination of environmental factors and bird health that creates the perfect conditions for the infection. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the entire barn ecosystem. To recap, think of cellulitis as a three-step process that requires a specific sequence of events. It starts with an entry point: a skin tear. Then, the bird must be exposed to a high enough concentration of E. coli to overwhelm its local defenses. Finally, timing matters. If the scratch happens too close to shipping, or if the infection is too extensive, the body doesn’t have enough time to heal, leaving a visible lesion that inspectors will easily identify at the plant. When we look at it this way, it becomes clear that mechanical skin injury is often the primary driver. While many variables play a role, the frequency of these skin tears is largely under the control of farm management. From the type of housing and equipment selected to the daily oversight, the management team has the greatest influence. Most other predisposing factors, such as genetics, gender and nutrition, while important, are often secondary to the physical integrity of birds’ skin.

PHOTO: C H IC K E N FA R M E R S OF CA NA DA

If you are checking all the boxes of environmental and litter management but still seeing high condemnation rates, it is vital to rule out underlying viral challenges that might be weakening the birds’ natural defenses. Other predisposing factors While management of the barn environment is the primary way to control cellulitis, there are several other factors that can quietly worsen the impact. The foundation for a healthy flock is often laid in the first week of life. If brooding conditions are suboptimal, chicks may divert energy away from proper skin and feather development. Many studies have shown a difference in risk based on the gender and uniformity of the flock. Male birds

are typically larger and more active than females, making them more prone to scratches during competition for space. This risk is even higher in flocks with poor uniformity. When you have a wide range of bird sizes, the smaller birds are more prone to injuries, leading to a higher incidence of back and thigh lesions.

Barn conditions that reduce crowding and competition can help limit skin injuries and cellulitis risk.

Poor uniformity is also a red flag for other underlying challenges. Flocks that lack consistency are likely dealing with sub-clinical disease challenges, such as enteric viruses or malabsorption issues. These conditions not only slow down growth but also compromise the birds’ immune system and skin strength. A flock that is struggling with uniformity lacks the resilience to heal minor scratches, making it a prime candidate for high cellulitis rejections. In short, managing cellulitis revolves around providing comfortable environments, reducing competition and stressors and maintaining cleanliness. By reducing the reasons for birds scrambling and keeping the bacterial load in the litter low, we can significantly reduce entry points for infection.

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Safeguard your farms

CANADIAN POULTRY

2026-08-06 1:28 PM

Cover Story

New physical barrier requirements are reshaping barn entrances on Canadian broiler farms. By Treena Hein

t was 2023 when Nick de Graaf, owner of Apple Feather Farm in the Annapolis Valley, N.S., installed physical barriers in all his broiler barns. He was prompted by the repeated waves of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Canada. “We didn’t have any outbreaks on our farm, but I wanted to do more to make sure one didn’t happen,” he says. “Having a red line on the floor is not foolproof at all. And it’s been recommended for many years to have a physical barrier.” That recommendation from Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) has now become a requirement. Under its On-Farm Food Safety Program (OFFSP), Canadian broiler producers must install a physical barrier in the entrance area of every barn between the Controlled Access Zone (CAZ) and the Restricted Area (RA). The barriers can be designed to sit on or simply stepped over, but they must be solid to the floor. No open space is permitted underneath, preventing outside footwear and barn boots from coming into contact. Dirty footwear remains on the CAZ side, clean barn boots stay on the RA side and socks should never touch the floor on either side of the barrier. Back in 2023, de Graaf sketched his design and purchased plywood, 8

CANADIAN POULTRY

2-by-4 lumber and the hardware needed to mount the barriers to the concrete walls of each barn. His barriers are designed so people can sit while removing outside footwear and putting on barn boots. They stand about two feet high and can be removed from the wall if necessary. He estimates each barrier cost about $250 for materials and labour at 2023 prices, except for one barn where a staircase had to be relocated to make room for the installation. De Graaf says the barriers have worked exactly as intended. “Having the barrier in the entry means nobody – me, my employees or my family – forgets to change footwear and clothing,” he says. “We all know that changing footwear and outside clothing is mandatory, and having the barrier reinforces it. We also have a boot dip inside after we put our barn boots on as an extra precaution.” Prompts for change Lauren Kennedy, CFC’s director of public affairs and communications, notes that physical barriers have long been recommended through CFC factsheets, videos and other educational resources available on the Farmer Resource Portal. However, the ongoing threat posed by HPAI prompted the organization to revisit its biosecurity standards.

Barrier design tips No two barn entrances are exactly alike, which is why Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) has emphasized flexibility in meeting the new physical barrier requirement. Learn from others Rather than prescribing a single design, CFC has created an online photo gallery showing a variety of successful installations from commercial broiler farms. The examples range from simple step-over barriers built with plywood and lumber to more permanent structures designed around unique entrance layouts. Follow the basics Whatever the design, the barrier must separate the Controlled Access Zone from the Restricted Area without gaps underneath or around the sides. It also needs to provide enough space for producers and visitors to remove outside footwear before crossing the barrier and put on clean barn boots and clothing on the opposite side.

“With the ongoing threat of HPAI, CFC has been re-assessing biosecurity programming by reviewing scientific literature and epidemiological reports on HPAI infections,” Kennedy says. “As a result of this review, CFC has determined that the minimum entrance requirements for barns should be increased.” Kennedy says that even when footwear changes are performed correctly, a painted line on the floor cannot physically prevent outside footwear from contacting barn boots. It also does nothing to stop dust and debris – which may contain disease-causing bacteria or viruses – from being carried into the Restricted Area. Research also supports the change. CFC points to a 2012 study led by researchers including Dr. Manon Racicot of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Dr. Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt of the Université de Montréal. The researchers found poultry producers and workers were five to nine times more likely to follow proper biosecurity procedures in barn entrances with a physical barSeptember 2026

PHOTO: N IC K DE G R A A F

Building barriers

Apple Feather Farm owner Nick de Graaf installed physical barriers at the entrances of all his broiler barns in 2023, well before they became a requirement under Chicken Farmers of Canada’s On-Farm Food Safety Program. He says the barriers provide a constant visual reminder to follow biosecurity protocols.

rier than those using only a floor line. CFC has communicated the new requirement through its The Inside Coop newsletter and provincial board communications. The requirement becomes part of OFFSP audits beginning with A-204 on Aug. 23, 2026. Barriers 101 CFC says the new requirement is intentionally flexible because every barn entrance is different. Smaller entrance areas may require creative solutions. “Every barn entrance room is different, and farmers will need to determine what works best for their unique layout and daily routines,” Kennedy says. “There are many different solutions, as each barn will require its own design based on the amount of space and the entry protocol. To help producers, a photo library has been created

The air you don’t filter can cost you.

on the CFC website to show different ways to implement.” Regardless of the barn entrance layout, the barrier must meet several key requirements. It must sit flush against the floor to prevent contamination from passing underneath and extend fully to both walls so people cannot walk around it. The design must also provide enough space on the Controlled Access Zone side for people to remove outside footwear and clothing, and enough room on the Restricted Area side to put on clean barn boots, coveralls and other required attire. The barrier must also be high enough to serve three purposes: act as a clear visual reminder that biosecurity procedures are required, force people to physically step over it when moving between zones and help pre-

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Cover Story

Chicken Farmers of Canada has developed a photo gallery showing examples of physical barrier designs to help producers adapt the new barn entrance requirement to different facility layouts. These sketches illustrate several possible approaches.

Industry perspectives While physical barriers are now mandatory for Canadian broiler producers, other poultry sectors are taking different approaches. Turkey Farmers of Canada says it supports science-based measures

that strengthen biosecurity and protect flock health. The organization is reviewing its On-Farm Programs to determine whether updates are warranted. Canadian Hatching Egg Producers is also reviewing its Canadian Hatch-

ing Egg Quality program in light of the ongoing HPAI threat. Chair Brian Bilkes notes that broiler hatching egg operations often have unique layouts and operating requirements that must be considered when evaluating new biosecurity measures. Egg Farmers of Canada is not currently reviewing its barn entrance requirements. The organization notes that Canada’s egg farms encompass a wide variety of facility designs and operating systems. For de Graaf, however, the value of a physical barrier is already well established. “We buy insurance policies for a lot of things in farming,” he says, “and this is an inexpensive policy that you can put in place pretty fast without much trouble. I don’t see why you wouldn’t do it.”

Barrier design tips Funding may be available For farms that require renovations to meet the new standard, financial assistance may be available through the Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program under its biosecurity enhancement category.

PHOTOS: C H IC K E N FA R M E R S OF CA NA DA

vent organic material from being transferred from one side to the other. “In many cases, building a physical barrier will be straightforward,” Kennedy says. “However, it is understood that this will be a larger change for some farms that will require more time and/or construction. For farms where construction will be required to implement the physical barrier, funding may be available through the Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program under the biosecurity enhancements category.”

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Health

Vaccination gains ground

s highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to circulate globally, more countries are exploring vaccination as a complement to biosecurity. While approaches vary widely, presentations at the World Egg Organisation (WEO) conference in Warsaw, Poland, showed vaccination is moving beyond discussion to implementation in several countries, with lessons emerging from commercial programs already underway. Ben Dellaert, chair of the WEO’s Avian Influenza Global Expert Group and director of the Dutch poultry association AVINED, opened the conference’s HPAI session with a global avian influenza overview. In 2025, notified cases were widespread across Europe, Asia and parts of Africa and South America. Winter 2025 was particularly challenging in Europe, marked by a high number of cases driven by migratory birds. A rise in cases wasn’t the only change.

CANADIAN POULTRY

Dellaert presented World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) data showing the seasonal peak shifted from January and February to November. Olivier Espeisse, an HPAI consultant working for WEO, said wild bird pressure also increased sharply, adding that because outbreaks have shifted between species, the virus is becoming more difficult to predict. U.S. moves toward a plan Currently, a small but growing number of countries are vaccinating against HPAI, including France, Vietnam, the Philippines and Algeria. China has also vaccinated poultry against H5 and H7 since 2017. The United States, which historically opposed vaccination because of the potential impact on its broiler export market, could soon be added to that list. The push is not surprising. Since 2022, more than 160 million layers have been lost to HPAI, and according to Mickey Rubin, vice-president of research at the American Egg Board and executive director of the Egg

Olivier Espeisse discussed how changing virus patterns are reshaping HPAI control.

Nutrition Center, indemnity costs have totalled $1.5 billion. Frustrated by repeated losses and the widespread assumption that vaccination was politically untouchable, a group of American egg producers convened a working group at the International Production & Processing Expo in Atlanta in January 2025. “Instead of just the status quo of, ‘Oh, vaccination will never happen, there’s too many difficulties, too many trade barriers,’” Rubin said. “This group of producers really showed leadership by saying, ‘We have to at least start the conversation.’” By April 2025, the group, which included Craig Rowles of Versova, Travis Schaal of Forsman Farms, David Swayne, former director of the USDA Agricultural Research Service Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, and John Clifford of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Export Council, had completed a detailed vaccination proposal. Clifford’s inclusion was deliberate, Rubin September 2026

PHOTO: WOR L D EG G ORGA N I SAT ION

Countries expand HPAI vaccination as surveillance and trade rules evolve. By Melanie Epp

said, because it ensured the broiler sector had a voice from the outset. The resulting plan proposes a zonebased rollout in defined high-risk states, covering laying hens and potentially turkeys. Broilers have been explicitly excluded. The proposal calls for a two-shot protocol using existing licensed vaccines, with a prime dose at the hatchery followed by a booster between seven and 15 weeks. Products from vaccinated birds would remain in the domestic market unless otherwise negotiated with trading partners. Surveillance would use the existing National Poultry Improvement Plan infrastructure, with pooled samples tested every 14 days. Rubin estimated surveillance costs at less than $1 per hen. Instead of adopting the industry’s proposal, the USDA developed one of its own before sending it to the working group for feedback. Rubin described the two plans as “highly compatible.” A more detailed pilot proposal has since been submitted to the USDA, but approval has not yet been granted. “We are currently at a standstill,” Rubin said. Asked whether USDA staffing and budget reductions could pose a risk to surveillance capacity, Rubin acknowledged the challenge. “I’m not going to lie, that’s probably going to be a challenge.” He also expressed concern about continued opposition from the broiler sector but remained optimistic. “If the international community continues to advance, hopefully that will force the United States to continue to advance,” he said. France: Three seasons in France offers the clearest example of how vaccination can work in commercial production. The country began mandatory HPAI vaccination in ducks on Oct. 1, 2023, becoming the first in Europe to implement the practice nationally. The program is now entering its third season. According to Marie Laborde, deputy director of CIFOG, the French intercanadianpoultrymag.com

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Health Ben Dellaert outlined global HPAI trends and the growing role of vaccination.

Pilots, recommendations and a shift in thinking Other countries remain at earlier stages. In the Netherlands, an experimental challenge trial that began in September 2023 produced encouraging early results, although full data had not yet been published at the time of Dellaert’s presentation. A separate pilot vaccinating day-old chicks at the hatchery began in March 2025, with eggs from those birds now marketed domestically under European Union-compliant surveillance. In Italy, the Padova reference centre has recommended vector vaccines for turkeys based on its own trials. A proposal to vaccinate layers and turkeys in three northern regions has been postponed over concerns about managing a regional-only rollout. The United Kingdom has begun a turkey trial using a vector vaccine and booster. Japan, historically opposed to vaccination, is also developing a preventive vaccination plan, according to Espeisse. Trade and governance catch up Vaccination’s expansion is prompting new work on the surveillance and trade rules needed to support it. At WOAH, a group led by David Swayne is developing guid14

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2023-06-28 7:49 AM

September 2026

PHOTO: WOR L D EG G ORGA N I SAT ION

professional committee representing foie gras and goose producers, France recorded 1,354 outbreaks on poultry farms during the 2021-22 season before vaccination. About 22 million birds were culled, costing the industry an estimated €800 million in state compensation. During the two seasons following vaccination, outbreaks dropped to 10 and then 15. The 2025-26 season, however, tested the program under exceptional conditions. More than 40 primary introductions from wildlife were recorded, driven by unusually intense wild bird activity in November 2025. France recorded 121 outbreaks and 1.7 million birds culled that season, with 40 per cent of losses occurring among vaccinated ducks. “The conclusion is clear,” she said. “Vaccination is not being questioned.”

ance on surveillance under vaccination, with a target completion date of mid-2027, alongside separate guidance on compensating farmers for HPAI losses. The European Union has proposed a new surveillance regulation that would ease weekly testing requirements introduced earlier. The European Parliament is reviewing the proposal. A coalition including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the European Commission and Canada had also planned a side event during the WOAH General Session focused on reducing trade barriers associated with vaccination. Biosecurity, once considered sufficient on its own, is increasingly viewed as one part of a broader HPAI control strategy. Whether that shift leads to wider vaccine adoption will depend largely on surveillance systems and, perhaps more importantly, how trading partners respond.

Canada is preparing a commercial turkey HPAI vaccination trial in Manitoba. Canada’s first commercial HPAI vaccination trial is taking shape, though officials stress it remains in the planning phase. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has outlined a confined field trial for 2026-28 on two Manitoba poultry farms to assess logistics and effectiveness. “These international experiences are helping inform Canada’s approach to HPAI vaccination,” CFIA said, adding no decision has been made on broader use. “Lessons learned from the trial will inform how a potential vaccination program could be implemented.” CFIA also highlighted limits to vaccination. “Even when vaccinated, birds may still become infected with HPAI,” it said, noting surveillance is “complex and costly” and requires frequent sampling, specialized testing and full traceability.

Trade remains a key hurdle, as many importing countries restrict products from vaccinated flocks. CFIA said it is briefing trading partners in advance to help protect market access. The original turkey farm selected is no longer available. “It sold,” said Darren Ference, chair of Turkey Farmers of Canada. A new site near CFIA’s Winnipeg lab is being finalized. “There’s no specific timeline,” Ference said, though he supports moving ahead when ready. He added the sector is shifting its stance on biosecurity alone: “We acknowledge that we need to look further past just biosecurity,” citing turkeys’ longer lifespan and higher susceptibility. He does not expect producer resistance, given strong on-farm programs and a largely domestic market. Still, he said the broader North American debate continues to shape discussions in Canada.

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Technology

Filtering the threat B.C. poultry producers are adopting new technologies to reduce the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza, backed by provincial funding. By Ronda Payne

Funding innovation Significant losses have accelerated innovation. B.C.’s response has become faster and more coordinated, while producers 16

CANADIAN POULTRY

Filtered positive-pressure systems are being installed in B.C. poultry barns to help reduce the risk of HPAI.

are adopting new technologies with support from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s Novel Tools and Technologies Program. The $2.5-million program is now in its second round of funding, and producers such as Trevor Allen of Skye Hi Farms in Yarrow, B.C., are already seeing benefits. “We’ve always had biosecurity,” Allen says. “Always separate boots, coveralls, gloves for each barn. Each farm has a separate farm worker that only walks that farm.” With 12 barns housing broilers, broiler breeders and turkeys, Allen views every improvement as another step toward lowering risk. He previously moved his turkey operation to a separate property and has now added filtered, positive-pressure anterooms to every barn. “We added filter rooms to every barn we have,” Allen says. “We have the bug screen, a window screen, as the first filter and then

we run the air through a cooling pad. I prefer to call them disinfection pads because we run Virocid in a 1.5 per cent solution through them. And then we use a final filtration through a MERV 16 filter.” All mechanically supplied air entering the barns passes through the filtration rooms. Pryce says most producers accessing funding have installed either UV treatment systems or filtration systems. “We had a good response to the first application window for the NTT program,” Pryce says. “We’re really encouraging our producers to take advantage of this. We’d like to see a more widespread uptake of these technologies.” The second application intake, which closed June 30, focused on farms in the Fraser Valley, Langley and Surrey. According to the ministry, more than 80 per cent of producers who adopted new technologies during the first funding September 2026

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ritish Columbia has been hit harder by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) than any other province. Despite the efforts of producers, industry organizations and governments, more than 10 million birds have been culled in the province since December 2021 – more than in all other provinces and territories combined. That has made B.C. a proving ground for technologies designed to reduce HPAI risk on commercial poultry farms. Paul Pryce, executive director of the BC Poultry Association, says it has been encouraging to see fewer cases during the 2025-26 season than in 2024-25. “We saw a pretty significant decrease in the number of HPAI cases,” Pryce says. There were 31 cases in 2025-26 compared with 83 the previous year. “It’s hard to say the key factor in that,” he says. “Is it the virus mutating so it’s becoming less virulent? We’ll need more seasons to determine.” While the decline is welcome, producers are continuing to invest in new ways to protect their flocks.

round would recommend them to other poultry farmers. Although filtration and UV systems often cost more than the available funding per operation, Pryce says the investment can quickly pay for itself if it prevents a flock from becoming infected. “We seem to be a leader when it comes to the science and the technology around us,” he says.

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Positive-pressure filtration Many of the new systems have been supplied and installed by AgProWest Supply. General manager Tyler de Boer, who jokes that he is the company’s “chief custodian,” has spent the past several years helping poultry producers install equipment aimed at reducing HPAI risk. Before these systems became available, producers relied on practical measures such as discouraging wild birds, controlling rodents, spraying disinfectants and treating air inlets with bleach. “I think we’re finding that there’s a better way,” de Boer says. “We know now we have to do something. It happens year after year. With some funding and this task force, everyone’s kind of come together to discuss what are the possibilities out there.”

“It’s all about percentages of risk.” He notes B.C. faces unique challenges because of major migratory bird flyways and one of the highest concentrations of poultry farms in Canada. “We’re just in the perfect zone,” he says. Filtration had received little attention before funding became available, although Allen had already started building his anterooms before the program was announced. “For ours, it was about $80,000 for everything. For all 12 barns,” Allen says. “But I had started doing this before there was any funding even announced.” canadianpoultrymag.com

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Making positive pressure work “Barns are hard to build perfectly tight,” de Boer says. “When you’re dealing with negative pressure, you’re drawing through cracks, through doors, from everywhere.” By switching to positive pressure, those same openings become much less of a concern. “You’re controlling the air that comes into the barn better,” he says. “You can filter that air that’s coming into the barn better.”

years,” de Boer says. The growing use of heat exchangers also complements positive-pressure systems because they can easily be integrated with filtration.

The filtration system installed beneath the barn ceiling helps clean incoming air before it enters the poultry house.

He says producers can also operate flexible systems. “We can design a system that can positively pressure your barn in the winter and the shoulder seasons when AI is more prevalent, and switch to more negative pressure in the summer when there’s less incidence of AI.” The filters represent the largest ongoing cost, although pre-filters help extend their life. Some producers remove the main filters during summer when disease risk is lower. “If you manage it well and protect it, they can last anywhere from two to five

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Adding UV treatment UV systems offer another option for reducing disease risk, although they also rely on positive pressure. “They aren’t as common,” de Boer says. “But they have started to be implemented. The UV will sterilize that air coming in. You need to couple it with the positive pressure.” In these systems, incoming air passes by UV-C lamps before entering the barn. The ultraviolet light damages the DNA and RNA of viruses, bacteria and fungal spores, preventing them from reproducing. “It’s not as easily adaptable to an existing negative-pressure barn system,” de Boer says. “You really have to stop and install some new fans with those UV lights.” New poultry barns are increasingly being designed with positive-pressure ventilation, filtration or UV treatment in mind, and in some cases a combination of all three. “Every barn is a different scenario depending on how it’s built and set up,” he says. Despite the added technology, Allen still relies on experience as much as sensors when checking conditions inside his barns. “I go in there and feel if the air is good for the temperature,” he says. For Allen, reducing risk remains the ultimate goal. “It’s all about percentages of risk,” he says. “You’ll never seal a barn 100 per cent, but if you can keep a barn with 95 per cent of your air going through your filters, you’ve got a 95 per cent better chance of not getting a contaminant in the barn.” He adds that for producers who have experienced an HPAI outbreak, preventing another one is about more than protecting their investment. “It’s not just about the money,” he says. “It’s a traumatic event.” September 2026

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The funding later helped offset costs and allowed Allen to hire a contractor to complete the work. “You don’t have to do the big expensive stuff,” Allen says. “Any filtration, in my opinion, is beneficial.” Filtration has become a major focus for AgProWest. De Boer says the company evaluated systems already being used elsewhere before partnering with Parker HVAC to adapt filtration to existing poultry ventilation systems. “Everyone was at a bit of a loss not knowing what to do. Filtration seemed so far out of reach at one point,” de Boer says. “Working with Parker, we’ve been able to simplify it and adapt to existing ventilation types.” The systems use positive pressure, drawing outside air through filters before forcing it into the barn. Because indoor air pressure is slightly higher than outdoor pressure, air exits through designed outlets as well as small cracks and gaps, reducing the amount of untreated air entering the building.

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