Copyright Newsweek
A Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) office in Kelowna, British Columbia, was vandalized with feces over the weekend after the agency decided to carry out a mass culling of hundreds of ostriches at a farm. More than 300 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms were shot dead last week after an avian influenza outbreak at the farm, despite the farm's owners launching a legal battle against the culling that reached the Supreme Court of Canada. Over the weekend, windows and doors of the CFIA office in Kelowna were smeared in feces, with the words "f**k you" spelled out. Newsweek has contacted the CFIA and the Kelowna Royal Canadian Mounted Police for comment via email. Why It Matters The vandalism of the CFIA office in Kelowna could point to heightened tensions following the agency's decision to cull the ostriches. The incident has drawn public scrutiny of government biosecurity protocols, sparked protest and led to calls for better transparency and oversight of regulatory decisions affecting agriculture and animal welfare. The case displays a broader divide in how regulatory agencies engage with farming communities under biosecurity threats and highlights issues of public trust in scientific institutions. What To Know On Sunday, the Kelowna Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) responded to an act of vandalism at the CFIA office on Bredin Road. Police were notified that feces had been smeared on the agency's doors and windows, and eggs had been thrown at the building. The RCMP has launched an investigation and is reviewing video surveillance to identify those responsible, but it has not released further details to maintain the integrity of the case, reported local outlet the Nelson Star, citing Corporal Allison Konsmo, Kelowna RCMP's media relations officer. The vandalism occurred two days after the CFIA completed a government-mandated cull of 300 to 330 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood. The cull followed a 10-month legal battle after lab tests confirmed avian influenza on the farm in December 2024, resulting in a CFIA cull order to protect animal and human health and maintain international trade standards. The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the farm owners' final appeal on November 6, and CFIA said in a news release the same day that it would "be moving forward to complete depopulation and disposal measures." What People Are Saying Katie Pasitney, the daughter of farm co-owner Karen Espersen, said: "They are prehistoric animals that have survived millions of years, but they won't survive the Canadian Food Inspection Agency." Dave Bilinski, a co-owner of the farm, previously told a crowd of supporters: "They won't listen to the science. They know goddamn well that those birds have the strongest antibodies out there right now and they're destroying them. I'm afraid there's—in my opinion—there's no justice left." The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a statement: "The CFIA’s stamping out policy aims to protect human health, animal health, and international trade access. ... This supports Canadian families and poultry farmers whose livelihoods depend on maintaining international market access for $1.75 billion in exports." What Happens Next The Kelowna RCMP continues to investigate the vandalism. The ostrich cull and subsequent vandalism have intensified debate around governmental management of animal diseases and questions over transparency, scientific protocol and community trust.
