Sask. farm forced to cull entire turkey flock due to Avian flu

A Saskatchewan farm is feeling the sting after Avian flu has wiped out its entire turkey flock for the second time in just over a year.

"They all had to be euthanized a week ago today, actually," Pine View Farms co-owner Melanie Boldt said.

"There's definitely a ripple effect."

Boldt said the infection spread at its supplier near Waldheim, which also has laying hens and other chickens.

Pine View, located roughly 30 kilometres north of Saskatoon near Osler, had 1,000 of its turkeys euthanized because of the spread of the virus.

Boldt said that's putting the company at increased risk losing on not only direct sales, but sales from its wholesale partners as well.

"This is the risk of farming and having animals and crops," she said. "This is the second year we're dealing with it. Avian Influenza cycles and depending on the strain and virulence of it -- it's happening all over the globe."

Pine View knows how to deal with the pressures of Avian flu. Last year, the farm had its Thanksgiving and Christmas supply of turkeys euthanized due to tthe virus.

"When you get into farming, you realize that there are risks," co-owner Kevin Boldt said. "And the challenge of farming, the business end of farming, is planning for it in a sense. You plan for the worst hope for the best."

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Kevin admitted two back-to-back years of having the turkey supply wiped out and the company's bottom line deeply affected has tested his resolve.

"In those good years you really have to be careful as to how you manage to make sure that there is options for other bad years as well," he said.

"The truth of the matter is, it costs money to make food and we do the best we can, and Saskatchewan is 'next year' country. That's kind of because of farming and our reliance on that."

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there are currently six farms in Saskatchewan affected by Avian flu impacting 537,000 birds as of Nov. 2. The food regulator says the avian flu is spreading across the globe, and anyone with birds must practice enhanced biosecurity procedures.

"This is unusual. We didn't expect it. Then again, we weren't entirely surprised given the situation globally about avian flu," Boldt said.

The company is often inundated with requests for turkeys that many customers pre-order their Christmas turkey weeks or months in advance.

Pine View was able to pivot and found another supplier providing 800 turkeys to keep customers happy for the holiday season. Some of its customers have been switching to Pine View's other offerings of ham, chicken, beef or pork ahead of Christmas.

Boldt said without the support from its loyal customers, she wouldn't be sure where the company would be.

"We're still receiving support, and we are so appreciative of that," she said. "That's what helps us survive things like this really," Boldt said.