A U.S. billionaire and businessman said he has financially supported a B.C. ostrich farm in its attempt to stay a cull order against its birds over concerns of avian flu exposure, and has also written to Prime Minister Mark Carney about the case, saying the countries have a “moral responsibility” to act wisely as the world is watching.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ordered the birds to be culled after 69 ostriches died in an outbreak of avian flu on the property in December 2024 and January 2025.
The farm owners have opposed the order. They say the birds have immunity from the virus and should be studied.
Billionaire John Catsimatidis said he and another individual had contributed about US$35,000 to the farm’s legal battle to have the cull order stayed for the nearly 400 birds at the Edgewood, B.C., property.
Catsimatidis has a $4.5 billion net worth, which includes an oil refinery and a chain of New York grocery stores. He also owns a radio station in New York. He said he has raised the issue of the ostrich farm with officials in the Trump administration.
“I think the Canadian people and the people of the United States are one people. We depend on each other. We’ve always depended on each other, and we have to help each other, because we’re in the same boat,” he said.
In the letter to Carney, Catsimatidis offered to make a joint public statement with the prime minister where they could emphasize “cross-border compassion.”
Catsimatidis, who is the CEO of the Red Apple Group, which has Canadian offices in Calgary and Ancaster, Ont., said he valued the “economic and diplomatic ties” between the United States and Canada.
CFIA Order
The CFIA previously said that its response to avian flu was to “protect both public and animal health.” It said it was following a World Organization for Animal Health “stamping out” policy that requires steps to be taken to destroy any animals or items that were infected or exposed to the virus. It also states the environment must be decontaminated.
The CFIA added that it also seeks to minimize the impacts on the $6.8 billion domestic poultry industry and the Canadian economy as a whole.
The agency said it will not publicly disclose the dates for the planned culling of the ostriches beforehand.
Catsimatidis said the daughter of one of the farm owners, Katie Pasitney, called the New York radio station he owns and shared the story of the ostriches.
“Over a few-week period, the more I heard about [the farm], the more interested I got. And I told my friend Secretary Kennedy, and I told my friend Dr. Oz, and they both agreed with me,” he said.
U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously wrote a letter to the CFIA asking for it to scrap the cull order.
‘Incredible Opportunity’
Culling the birds would be a mistake as they offer an “incredible opportunity” for scientific research, Dr. Mehmet Oz said during an Aug. 25 news conference with Catsimatidis and Pasitney.
Oz, who is the administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the animals have survived “potentially devastating” avian flu infections. He said the herd should be sent to the United States so scientists can research what helped them survive the avian flu.
He noted that a study of the birds could produce valuable insights for addressing a possible avian flu outbreak in humans.
“They have secrets in them that we can learn from, and it makes perfect sense for America and Canada to co-operate on this,” he said.
Oz previously offered to take in the birds at his Florida ranch. He said he would still allow the birds on his property if Carney permitted it.
Catsimatidis also said President Donald Trump was aware of the case as Kennedy had told him about it.
“I think these animals deserve to live,” Catsimatidis said during the Aug. 25 news conference.
“And if they’re killed, we’re not going to end it there. There’s going to be massive investigations on why the rush to kill these animals,” he added.
The farm owners attempted to overturn the cull order in Federal Court, but lost the case on Aug. 21. The Federal Court had upheld the cull order in June, and the farm owners were appealing that ruling. They also requested a judicial review of the order, but it was denied.
The lawyer for the farm has said they were hoping to appeal the court decision to the Supreme Court.
The Canadian Press contributed to this article.
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