New Brunswick livestock owners are bracing for the impact of the province’s decision to end government-run veterinarian and lab services.

The Susan Holt government recently announced in its budget it would phase out provincial field veterinary and laboratory services over three years, handing off animal medical care to private providers.

But some farmers are worried about the continuity of service — and reliability.

A petition calling for the province to reverse its decision has nearly 30,000 signatures and has been tabled in the legislature. As well, a protest is planned for next Tuesday.

The owner of Coburn Farms, which has been producing eggs since 1967, is among those worried about the province’s decision.

“In the poultry industry, we end up with a sick flock, and unfortunately most of those diseases are fatal,” said David Coburn.

He adds that diseases such as avian flu could quickly decimate 50 to 60 per cent of his flock.

“The lab testing for that disease and the diagnostics, that’s very important,” he said.

“If they end up having to privatize that, we want to make sure, number one, that there’s continuity of service and that we get adequate or better service.”

Vanessa Leclair, a horse owner who started the petition calling for the Holt government to step back on its decision, says the issue is that there aren’t enough private livestock veterinarians to pick up the work.

“Especially for rural parts of New Brunswick. Where I live, there just isn’t any private livestock vets here,” she said.

And while the agriculture minister has indicated the transition into private care will take place over three years, Leclair says she doesn’t believe that’s enough time.

“At this point in time, there simply isn’t any private infrastructure in place,” she said.

The Liberal government is doubling down on the measure amidst efforts to cut costs after tabling a $15.6 billion budget that forecasted a historic $1.4 billion deficit.

Agriculture Minister Pat Finnigan said this week that he’s confident private providers will step in.

“We’re prioritizing working with the impacted veterinarians and their employees. Some have already expressed (interest) in setting up their own practices,” he said.

New Brunswick is one of the only provinces still operating government-funded veterinary services, with Newfoundland and Labrador being the other.

–with a file from The Canadian Press 

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