Appeal of regulation requiring turkeys to be raised under a solid roof dismissed due to avian influenza risks.
The appellants, organic turkey farmers, appealed a regulation by the Turkey Farmers of Ontario (TFO) requiring turkeys raised in non-confinement or open-air systems to be kept under a solid roof.
The appellants argued this would make organic certification impossible and financially unviable.
The TFO argued the regulation was necessary to prevent the spread of avian influenza from wild birds to domestic flocks.
The Tribunal dismissed the appeal, finding the TFO was justified in implementing the regulation as a preventative measure against avian influenza, and that the added cost to organic producers was outweighed by the safety benefits to the industry.
Dick v Turkey Farmers of Ontario, 2008 ONAFRAAT 37
