Letter to the Ontario Minister of Agriculture

This is a letter our farm manager Mark wrote to the Ontario Minister of Agriculture regarding an unjust ruling the Ontario Turkey Marketing Board made against Matthew Dick, an Ontario turkey farmer, banning him from allowing his turkeys access to the outdoors. The National Farmers Union of Ontario brought this situation to our attention and requested support to fight against this blatant attempt to crush natural producers in the interests of protecting factory farm operations.

January 25, 2009

Minister Dombrowsky,

I ask you to support the appeal of Matthew Dick to your Ministry against the entirely unjust tribunal hearing that stripped him of the right to raise turkeys with access to the outdoors. As a graduate from the Tokyo University of Agriculture Master's Program in Bioindustry, and as an organic poultry farmer, I find the reasoning behind this ruling to be absurdly lacking in scientific evidence. There is NO evidence that has ever shown healthy poultry, raised with access to the outdoors, to have susceptibility to Avian Influenza spread from the wild bird population. The only poultry population at high risk of susceptibility to Avian Influenza is that of the unhealthy birds contained in outrageously high population densities, with limited air flow and high humidity, sitting constantly in layers of their own feces, such as found in commercial poultry barns; perfect conditions for the incubation and spread of disease. In these conditions, disease is barely held in check by prophylactic antibiotic dosing, which is responsible for heightened antibiotic resistance in human pathogens.

Turkeys and chickens are not so different from humans. We do not thrive when deprived of sunshine, fresh air, good food, and exercise, never mind sitting in our own feces crowded shoulder to shoulder in a high humidity room eating rendered animal guts. Birds given high quality food and a healthy environment have better immune systems. It is that simple.

If confinement was the answer, then how did the avian influenza outbreaks occur in regular poultry operations?  Obviously, viruses are able to enter the barn through the air-intake system, doors or with workers.  Therefore the logical conclusion is not to try to keep the virus out of the barn but rather lower susceptibility of the birds and eliminate the unhealthy conditions conducive to viral incubation.

When we started to raise turkeys on our farm, we encountered all the health problems that make turkey rearing so infamously challenging. Instead of turning to drugs, synthetics, and commercial rations, we researched holistic options. We fed the turkeys greens, gave them probiotics, used natural disease fighting agents like garlic and cayenne in their feed, and overcame health problems that the conventional poultry industry declared impossible. Our turkeys are the picture of health.

Our turkey losses are now nearly zero, a huge contrast to conventional operations where loss is much greater. The feathers of our birds are brilliant white, firm, and clean, in contrast to feathers of the birds raised in commercial barns, which are soiled with feces, weak, scruffy, and lack lustre and sheen. Our birds’ organs are so vibrant coloured and healthy that the provincial inspector comments on them each time we take the turkeys to slaughter. He tells us how good the birds look compared to what he is accustomed to seeing on kill lines from conventional poultry operations.

Finally, our customers, some of them diagnosed as "allergic" to meat, not only can eat our meat without a problem, but tell their friends and neighbours about the dramatic difference in flavour, texture, and quality as compared to conventional fare. This is not rocket science; it is just doing things right rather than what is "economically efficient" or what “modern agricultural science” dictates.

The Turkey Farmer's of Ontario are defending a feeble position with pseudo-science in the interests of greed, trying to eliminate viable competition that contrasts their gross deficiencies in bird health and humane husbandry standards with something much better. They are desperately trying to defend a sub-standard product by ensuring there is nothing superior with which to compare it.

Should not our government be honouring and supporting the efforts of Matthew Dick and other progressive farmers who strive to find a safer and more sustainable way to produce healthy food for our population?  The health of the population starts with the farmer's soil and husbandry practices. How much longer will the government be partner to unbridled corporate greed unleashed on our country's agriculture, costing us health and future sustainability?

Mark Benson
Lethbridge, AB

I urge all included in this e-mail to express their views to Minister Dombrowsky.  Please read the article below for information about the particulars of this case.

 

A turkey of a decision

A commentary on behalf of the National Farmers Union Ontario

By Grant Robertson 

Many consumers are looking towards free-range or organic poultry production. It is a growing niche market that many family farmers are entering to provide a product to citizens who often will not normally buy poultry products. Given the choice between conventional poultry production there are a significant number of consumers who will choose not to buy poultry products if their only option is conventionally raised birds. There is no right and wrong here. Some people prefer Ford over Chrysler or Coke over Pepsi. The simple fact is that there is a market there and it would be foolish for the powers that be to throw that market away for farmers who could fill it.

Matthew Dick, a Turkey farmer from Grey County has run afoul of the marketing board for Turkey - The Turkey Farmers of Ontario. His family’s ‘crime’ – they want to raise their turkeys so that they have outside access. Dick believes, with some evidence, that poultry raised outside have a better immune system and provides a different taste for his customers. It is a recipe that many farmers who raise chickens for meat and eggs have been following for a long time as well. He is serving a market that wants his products.

To be fair, the Turkey Farmers of Ontario are trying to deal with concerns around avian influenza. The thing is, though, there is little credible analysis that links free range poultry to the spread of avian influenza. In fact, there are studies that have shown that it is in the footprint of Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai and Cambodian massive commercial poultry operations (that do not follow the kinds of rules farmers here follow) that avian influenza seems to take hold. To get an idea of the size of these outfits think of the largest poultry barn you have seen then double it and then triple it. It is in cramped conditions these chickens are raised and they are a breeding ground for cross infections. That is the real story, not the outdoor markets you see in the news.

Despite all of this, Dick is facing either the end of the market of his turkeys, or huge costs to construct indoor facilities. Recently Dick lost at a Tribunal hearing where he was hoping to maintain his right to raise turkeys with outside access. Dick has one opportunity to overturn this wrong-headed direction. His only recourse at this point is to appeal directly to Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Leona Dombrowsky.

If you raise turkeys, chickens, layers or any other poultry for market, or want to eat poultry or eggs raised this way, this decision could have far reaching impact on you. Right now this is about turkeys, but it does not take much imagination to see the potential for this to spread elsewhere.

You can reach Minister Dombrowsky at minister@omaf.gov.on.ca. State your support for Matthew Dick and concern with this decision. Ask her to support Dick’s appeal. Please add any personal thoughts you might have on the impact of such a decision standing. The NFU would recommend a subject line such as Matthew Dick Turkey Board Decision.

Dick’s appeal is taking place very soon, so please take a few moments today to follow through. If this decision stands you might come to personally regret putting it off and forgetting about it.

Grant Robertson is a senior elected official with the National Farmers Union-Ontario and a National Board Member of the NFU. Grant and his family farm near Paisley, Ontario. The author can be contacted at grant@bmts.com

If you have been forwarded this commentary and would like to be added to the distribution list please send an email to grant@bmts.com with “subscribe” in the subject line.

_______________________________________

Cathy Holtslander
Beyond Factory Farming
#200 - 416 21st Street East
Saskatoon, SK
S7K 0C2

Phone (306) 955-6454
Toll free 1-877-955-6454
Fax (306) 955-6455

www.beyondfactoryfarming.org

“Livestock production for health and social justice”

Dick’s appeal is taking place very soon, so please take a few moments today to follow through. If this decision stands you might come to personally regret putting it off and forgetting about it.

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