Plant-Based Canada Podcast

Episode 96: How Large-Scale Poultry Farming is Fuelling Avian Flu with Eleanor Boyle

Plant-Based Canada Season 1 Episode 96

In this episode of the Plant-Based Canada Podcast, we sit down with Eleanor Boyle. She’s a long-time journalist and former college instructor, who has written many articles on ways to improve our diets and food systems. You can find her blog at eleanorboyle.com. Eleanor has written two books: 'High Steaks: Why and How to Eat Less Meat' and 'Mobilize Food: Wartime Inspiration for Environmental Victory Today'.

Eleanor and I pick up where we left off in Episode 79, catching up on the latest headlines involving outbreaks of avian flu on Canadian, American, and European farming operations. She breaks down why we’re seeing an uptick in these cases, the weaknesses in our food system, and why we need to consider a new approach to chicken farming—and animal agriculture at large.

Resources
 

Eleanor’s website and blog

Articles by Eleanor on avian flu: 

To Address Bird Flu, Reform Chicken Farming” 

We need a rethink of Big Poultry to stop avian flu” 

Avian Flu: Way More Than An Industry Problem” 

 

CFIA updates on avian flu (province-by-province) 

Details on how poultry production is subsidized by Canadian taxpayers 

Mercy for Animals report on Canadian chicken production  


World Animal Protection Canada reports on animal agriculture: 

The Pecking Order 2024 

Part II: Policies to Promote PlantBased Food Production and Consumption in Canada 


Summary of global human cases of avian flu (1997-2025) 

This is how much longer you could live if you eat less meat, more plants


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