Alberta rancher at centre of TB quarantine speaks out: ‘No one is going to come out of this unscathed’

UPDATE: Alberta farmers suffering bovine TB losses can get ‘fair market value’ for cattle, says CFIA 

The life of an Alberta man who has spent his entire life in the cattle industry and the lives of his neighbours have been turned upside down since they were notified last month a cow from his herd tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB).

READ MORE: What is bovine tuberculosis?

Brad Osadczuk runs a family cattle operation near Jenner, Alta. Every single one of the animals on his farm has been put under quarantine and now he’s been told some of those animals will be euthanized.

“The index herd, the herd the cow came from, will be destroyed,” he said. “Three-hundred-and-eighty-five cows and calves, cow calf pairs and 51 bulls and every other animal on the farm. Horses, cats, dogs – you name it.”

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ordered the quarantine. Osadczuk has been told he will get some compensation for his herd but says he has no idea when the money will come.

READ MORE: Dozens of Alberta ranches quarantined for bovine tuberculosis 

“They are destroying everything that makes us money and it’s going to take years to build that back up,” he said. “They’ve put a halt on any cattle movement, sales or anything – on or off our ranch.

“We can’t fulfill anything with the banks,” Osadczuk added. “This is the time of year where we sell calves and pay the bank and we aren’t able to do any of that.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We can't fulfill anything with the banks," Osadczuk added. "This is the time of year where we sell calves and pay the bank and we aren't able to do any of that."

Some of the calves have already been shipped out to be destroyed and Osadczuk said the CFIA hasn’t told him when the rest will be taken or when the quarantine will be lifted.

“We owe thousands of dollars and we are paying interest every day on these operating loans and we can’t sell, and I can’t even get the CFIA to return my calls these days,” he said. “One guy does, that’s about it.

“There is no compensation for a loss of business – I can’t live on love until my 1,200 cows are replaced and 50 bulls,” Osadczuk said. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I guess I’ll have to go out and get a job off the ranch.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There is no compensation for a loss of business - I can't live on love until my 1,200 cows are replaced and 50 bulls," Osadczuk said. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I guess I'll have to go out and get a job off the ranch."

Osadczuk said he is very concerned for his neighbours and their cattle, adding they are not properly equipped to keep the herds into the winter months due to a shortage of water supply and no stockpile of feed available.

He also said two more of his neighbours have been told their herds also have to be destroyed. Together, they have about 500 head.

READ MORE: Alberta Beef Producers warn more ranches could be quarantined in bovine tuberculosis scare

“We haven’t gotten any results back on the index herd, just the one confirmed case that came out of the (United) States, and without anymore information from the CFIA or anybody, they’ve decided that one other neighbour’s herd will be destroyed – actually two other neighbours’ herds destroyed.”

Osadczuk says he doesn’t want anyone’s sympathy or a handout. Instead, he says he and his neighbours simply need answers from the CFIA so they can start to look ahead and rebuild their operations.

“You’re left with empty fields and no idea when you’ll ever be allowed to put a cow back on your place.”

Global News has reached out to the CFIA for comment but has not yet heard back.