The Turkey Farmers of Nova Scotia ("TFNS") have ordered Larkin Brothers in PEI to cease and desist in the selling of turkey poults to small flock poultry farmers in Nova Scotia.
Turkey poults are young birds raised from day old chicks. Turkey chicks are somewhat difficult to raise, so there is often a high mortality rate. Small Flockers often choose to pay more for poults, raised from day old chicks for the first week or so by experts, helping guarantee their success. That is how Larkin Bros. help and service Small Flockers.
Larkin Bros. is not a hatchery. They buy the day old chicks at retail as a farmer is allowed to do, then raises them to poults, then re-sells the poults to other farmers. Property rights are supposed to be enshrined in the Canadian constitution. That means that you can buy or sell your property to others, unless the law specifically prohibits you from doing so, and that law is reasonable and justified under the circumstances.
TFNS has a different opinion. In a letter to all Small Flockers in Nova Scotia, TFNS said (copied from the Facebook page of Larkin Bros.):
Monday, February 23, 2015
Hello
Please take note of this notice.
TURKEY FARMERS OF NOVA SCOTIA
PO Box 407, Canning, NS B0P 1H0 • Phone: (902) 582-7877 • Fax: (902) 582-5326 •
info@turkeyfarmersofnovascotia.ca
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO FREE RANGE LICENSE HOLDERS
And
Vendors
This notice is to advise that you are not to order poults from Larkin Brothers. as he is not a registered Hatchery.
You are to order direct from a registered Hatchery as noted below. For your convenience we have added their contact information.
Quebec Turkey Hatchery Gerry Paquet QC G2A 2E2 418-842-3687
Cuddy Farms Judy Glover ON N2p 2N7 519-245-1592 ext229
P&H Hatchery Gail Ruttan ON N4N 3L7 519-364-1770
Couvoir de Mont 1986 Inc Richard Dumont QC G0L 1K1 418-898-2747
Hybrid Turkey ON N2G 3W5 519-527-0847
Couvoir Unik Inc Sylvain Rocheleau QC J0J 1K1 450-347-0126
Frey's Hatchery Ken Frey ON N0B 2N0 519-664-2291
Hybrid Turkey ON N3H 4R7 519-653-3527
Cuddy Farms Ltd 2008 ON N7G 3H6 519-245-1592ext234
Couvoir de Chicoutimi QC G7H 5B7 418-693-8244
Couvoir Simetin Inc. QC J7N 1P3 450-258-2404
Any free range license producer or Vendor that orders poults from a business that is not on the list will jeopardize their status as a free range producer or Vendor and subject to a monetary penalty.
The Turkey Mafia has their million dollar monopoly to protect, and they will do any devious or other action to stop or slow down Small Flockers from serving themselves and their local customers of safe, affordable, nutritious, and locally grown turkeys.
This is same or similar to the attacking of Aaron Hiltz by the Nova Scotia Egg Producers in Oct. 2013.
More recently, TFNS has attacked Gordon Fraser (see also here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. ), a 4th generation farmer in Millbrook Nova Scotia who also operates a safe, clean, and humane butcher shop cum abattoir for the past 36 years. Last Fall, TFNS told him he was no longer allowed to process turkeys in his on-farm butcher shop, unless he becomes a licensed abattoir under Provincial or Federal Regulations. Gorden Fraser specializes in serving Small Flockers and small farmers for beef, pork, and lamb. Removing this rural butcher shop-abattoir means Small Flockers have no where to go with their turkeys in Pictou County, as the next nearest licensed abattoir is too far away.
Gordon Fraser estimates he would have to spend around $500,000 to build an abattoir in full compliance with TFNS' requirements. That isn't possible, nor affordable.
Bureaucratic over-reach by TFNS, plain and simple.
NS' Dept. of Agriculture could implement exceptions for butcher shops, farmers, and small local abattoirs who offer full disclosure to the public. Unfortunately, they cater to the millionaire and their lobbyists who constantly whisper into the politicians ears, protecting their client's monopoly to the detriment of the public.
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