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 (Canada). 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

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

Phone (306) 955-6454
Toll free 1-877-955-6454
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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.

Click HERE to read Mark Benson's response.