Federal Court of Appeal to hear case of B.C. ostrich farm

By Canadian Press on July 15, 2025.

OTTAWA — The B.C. ostrich farmers who lost 15 per cent of their herd in an outbreak of avian flu last winter are taking their fight to the Federal Court of Appeal today.

The case is an appeal of a June ruling in the Federal Court which sided with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The agency ordered the owners of Universal Ostrich Farms to cull some 400 birds after 69 ostriches died in December and January.

The farm applied for a judicial review of the CFIA’s decision, but that was denied.

The farmers say their herd is involved in research into the natural immunity of ostriches, and that the remaining birds are healthy.

The CFIA notes the variant of avian flu found on the farm hadn’t been found in Canada before, and the highly contagious virus can infect wild birds, mammals and humans.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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