AVIAN INFLUENZA
Farmers to bear costs of culled poultry in deadly avian flu outbreak
The poultry industry, reeling from the deadly avian flu outbreak, has been dealt another potential blow with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries confirming it will only compensate farmers for the culling of uninfected birds. Outbreaks of the virus have been recorded in six provinces, which has put thousands of jobs on the line. The Eastern Cape recorded its first case of bird flu on Thursday. The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) had called for a more holistic approach in terms of compensating farmers, including taking into consideration the labour and chemicals used to clean farms that had been affected by the virus. Affected farms have to cull all birds on the property and recall and destroy all eggs as part of measures to control the spread of the virus. Farms also have to shut down production for up to six months, while they embark on surveillance and cleaning. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said in a reply to a parliamentar...
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