This PD Event is open to: ALL Registrants of BCIA

This presentation by Christina Forbes BSc, P.Ag & Livestock Industry Specialist, will cover the basics of Avian Influenza and lessons learned from 2022 from the Ministry of Agriculture's perspective.

The outline of the presentation:
1.   Background of Avian Influenza
2.   Epidemiological findings from 2022
3.   Biosecurity
4.   Signs and Symptoms
5.   What to do if your birds are sick
6.   Transmission
7.   The Response to Avian Influenza in B.C.
The presentation will cover the avian influenza outbreak in BC in 2022/23 including impacts to the poultry industry, transmission of the disease, epidemiological findings, biosecurity lessons learned, and the response from both CFIA and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Christina Forbes grew up on a dairy farm in the Fraser Valley and was a member of the dairy 4-H club for 11 years. She completed a Bachelor of Science (Agroecology) from the University of British Columbia in 2003. Following graduation, she moved to Fort St. John and spent four years working for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as an Animal Programs Inspector. After four years of never-ending winters, she moved to the Okanagan and worked for the CFIA out of the Oliver office for 10 years. During this time she gained experience with Avian Influenza during the 2014 outbreak in the Fraser Valley where she was a member of the Surveillance and Diagnostics team doing dead bird surveillance.

In 2018 Christina started with the Ministry of Agriculture as a Regional Agrologist in Kelowna. In March 2021 she began a temporary assignment as an Industry Specialist – Beef and Bison, covering a maternity leave. Christina accepted a permanent position as a Livestock Industry Specialist in 2022, covering the poultry and dairy files. She was a key player in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s Avian Influenza response throughout 2022.