By Brittney Matejka/CHAT News Today

Federal, provincial ag ministers visit ground zero of bovine TB outbreak

Mar 26, 2018 | 6:03 AM

JENNER – Osadczuk Cattle Company gave a tour Sunday, March 25 of their once quarantined ranch to federal minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay and Alberta’s agriculture and forestry minister, Oneil Carlier.

A confirmed case of bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) was detected in September 2016 and triggered a massive investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which saw more then 50 ranches in Alberta and two in Saskatchewan placed under quarantine, with 11,500 head of cattle being destroyed.

Minister Carlier said today was a chance to commemorate on how the bovine tuberculosis outbreak was handled by producers and the government.

“It was a tragedy (for) a lot of these producers,” he said. “I think they were very thankful about the response they got from the government and these producers have been very cooperative, very collaborative making sure we can get through this crisis.”

Producers affected by the quarantine received $39 million dollars in federal funding for the animals ordered to be destroyed. Minister MacAulay said he was happy with the help the government provided but understands the great loss cattle producers suffered.

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“Generally in the end, farmers and ranchers pay a price,” he said. “Both governments, federally and provincially have done well and the ranchers are quite pleased.”

Brad Osadczuk said he toured both ministers around his ranch and brought together the community.

“We were able to get the neighbours that were directly affected by the TB investigation and show them our gratitude,” he said. “And to everyone in government for how well we were taken care of and how thing rolled out smoothly.”

It is still unknown how the respiratory disease made its way to Jenner, AB. The strain of bovine TB that six head of cattle tested positive for is most closely related to a strain found in Central Mexico in 1997.