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    farmers on front lines of flu war: Clement
Updated Mon. Mar. 20 2006 8:04 PM ET

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Canadian Press
TORONTO � Canada's chicken farmers are on the front lines on the war against avian influenza and lead the way when it comes to rural bio-security measures, Health Minister Tony Clement said Monday.
Clement, in his first major speech as federal health minister, applauded the work of poultry producers to identify and contain the threat of bird flu.
"You are leading the way in terms of implementing bio-security measures at the farm level and reporting signs of disease early on to authorities," Clement told the annual meeting of the Chicken Farmers of Ontario, which represents some 1,100 poultry producers.
"As chicken farmers, you represent the front lines of the war on avian flu. I'm here today to salute the tremendous work that you're doing in that regard."
While Canada's poultry producers have long taken measures to protect against avian influenza, which is not uncommon among wild bird populations, the H5N1 strain of bird flu that has led to mass culls in Asia has industry and health officials on high alert.
In the last few months, the strain has spread to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
It's incumbent upon Canadian officials to plan for its arrival on these shores, Clement told reporters after delivering his address.
"It could happen 50 years from now, it could happen five months from now. We don't know. So my job is to plan for the worst."
At least 98 people worldwide have died after coming in direct contact with infected chickens, according to figures by the World Health Organization.
While the H5N1 strain of bird flu cannot be passed from human to human, scientists and health officials are worried the strain could mutate into a virus that could be transmitted easily among people -- triggering a global flu pandemic.
"We have to ensure that if (H5N1) should transmute into a human to human virus, that we have to be ready for that," said Clement, who added a revised version of Canada's pandemic plan will be released in the coming weeks.
"My hope is it won't come to that, but one can't create policy based on our best hopes."
Ontario's chicken farmers are prepared to do their part to identify, and contain, any outbreak of bird flu among poultry populations, said Roelf Woldring, general manager of the Chicken Farmers of Ontario.
"If it shows up in a barn, we're going to keep it there and keep it from getting out of that barn," said Woldring.

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	farmers on front lines of flu war: Clement Updated Mon. Mar. 20 2006 8:04 PM ET < = =text/> var byString = ""; var sourceString = "Canadian Press"; if ((sourceString != "") && (byString != "")) { document.write(byString + ", "); } else { document.write(byString); } Canadian Press TORONTO � Canada's chicken farmers are on the front lines on the war against avian influenza and lead the way when it comes to rural bio-security measures, Health Minister Tony Clement said Monday. Clement, in his first major speech as federal health minister, applauded the work of poultry producers to identify and contain the threat of bird flu. "You are leading the way in terms of implementing bio-security measures at the farm level and reporting signs of disease early on to authorities," Clement told the annual meeting of the Chicken Farmers of Ontario, which represents some 1,100 poultry producers. "As chicken farmers, you represent the front lines of the war on avian flu. I'm here today to salute the tremendous work that you're doing in that regard." While Canada's poultry producers have long taken measures to protect against avian influenza, which is not uncommon among wild bird populations, the H5N1 strain of bird flu that has led to mass culls in Asia has industry and health officials on high alert. In the last few months, the strain has spread to Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It's incumbent upon Canadian officials to plan for its arrival on these shores, Clement told reporters after delivering his address. "It could happen 50 years from now, it could happen five months from now. We don't know. So my job is to plan for the worst." At least 98 people worldwide have died after coming in direct contact with infected chickens, according to figures by the World Health Organization. While the H5N1 strain of bird flu cannot be passed from human to human, scientists and health officials are worried the strain could mutate into a virus that could be transmitted easily among people -- triggering a global flu pandemic. "We have to ensure that if (H5N1) should transmute into a human to human virus, that we have to be ready for that," said Clement, who added a revised version of Canada's pandemic plan will be released in the coming weeks. "My hope is it won't come to that, but one can't create policy based on our best hopes." Ontario's chicken farmers are prepared to do their part to identify, and contain, any outbreak of bird flu among poultry populations, said Roelf Woldring, general manager of the Chicken Farmers of Ontario. "If it shows up in a barn, we're going to keep it there and keep it from getting out of that barn," said Woldring.