Highly pathogenic avian influenza detected in Southwestern Ontario

Feb 06, 2024

On February 1, 2024, the Feather Board Command Centre (FBCC) which was working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), shared that it has detected Avian Flu in a commercial flock in Amherstburg, Ontario.

If you have small flocks within 10 KM of this area, remain vigilant and ensure you have excellent biosecurity measures in place. Biosecurity measures are the best way to protect your flock from the outbreak.

Read Small Farm Canada's previous article about biosecurity measure here.

Small flock resources can also be found here.

Also watch for signs of the flu in your flock, look for the following signs:

Lethargy
Coughing, sneezing, or wheezing
diarrhea
A decrease in egg production
Head, neck, or eyes swelling
Lack of coordination

If you detect these symptoms, take immediate action. Contact a veterinarian.

According to the Small Flock Ontario website, “Bird owners are legally responsible to report to a veterinarian, the Canada Food Inspection Agency or the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural if they suspect their flock is infected with a reportable disease such as HPAI.”

Also, if you observe sick or dead wild birds, please report these to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at 866-673-4781.

Source : Small Farm Canada

Video: Our Own On-Farm Research Is the Best Source - Managing White Mold in Northeast Nebraska

If you assumed Nebraska was too hot and dry for white mold to be a problem in soybeans, think again.

This week we're featuring Galen Samuelson, a farmer and dealer from Wakefield, Nebraska, who knows all too well how devastating white mold can be.

"We don't have it consistently every year, but with our temperature and humidity, it can hurt us quite bad," Samuelson says. Looking for alternatives, he explains, "What I like about Heads Up is that it's non-harmful to the beneficial fungal colonies in the soil." Galen has been using Heads Up for several years now, after first hearing about it through a small ad in a regional newspaper. Watch below to hear about his journey.

When asked to write about Samuelson Seed, Galen said the following:

"Samuelson Seed is a 4th-generation, family-based company. It started with my grandfather, and I'm now starting to pass the torch to my son, Caleb."

"In the early 1990s, I started working with a company whose focus was on plant and soil health before those benefits were widely known. I've continued to keep plant and soil health the main focus in our farming operation decisions."