(File photo/farmnewsNOW Staff)

By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup

Agriculture Roundup for Thursday May 5, 2022

May 5, 2022 | 2:54 PM

MELFORT, Sask. — Avian influenza has been found in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland for the first time since the infection began spreading across the continent this spring.

The H5N1 virus has also been found in small flocks in Kelowna, the North Okanagan and the Kootenay region in the province.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said in a release the infected locations have been placed under quarantine and the Ministry of Agriculture has notified producers within a 12-kilometre radius about the flocks with positive test results.

CFIA said it presumes avian flu spread through contact with infected migrating wild birds.

B.C. has ordered all commercial poultry operators with more than 100 birds to move their flocks indoors until the spring migration ends in May.

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Avian flu cases have been confirmed in several other provinces, but no infections have been detected in humans.

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Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is going overseas to talk trade.

Moe said he will visit the United Arab Emirates to promote Saskatchewan agriculture and uranium exports as well as carbon reduction technologies.

The 2023 UN Climate Change Conference is scheduled to take place in the Persian Gulf country, which pledged last year to go net-zero by 2050.

Saskatchewan opened a trade office in the country in January.

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Maple Leaf Foods reported its first-quarter profit fell compared with a year ago even as its sales rose seven per cent as it dealt with COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions and higher costs.

Chief executive Michael McCain said the impact of the Omicron variant, including high levels of absenteeism, inflation, and supply chain disruptions, challenged the company in the quarter.

Maple Leaf said it earned $13.7 million or 11 cents per share for the quarter ended Mar. 31 compared with a profit of $47.7 million or 39 cents per share a year earlier.

Sales totalled $1.13 billion, up from $1.05 billion in the same quarter last year.

The increase came as sales in its meat protein group rose to $1.09 billion for the quarter compared with $1.01 billion a year earlier, while sales for its plant protein business climbed to $44.9 million from $42.6 million.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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