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6. Ostrich farm

Jason Lavigne on X:

Universal Ostrich Farm Update: What the Record Shows About the COVID Research, the $13.44M Grant, and the Farm’s Participation.

COVID-19 Antibody Research was Underway in Sherbrooke, Quebec The Canadian biotech firm Immune Biosolutions (Sherbrooke, QC) ran a COVID-19 immunotherapy program (antibody-based), moving from pre-clinical toward clinical development. Source https://immunebiosolutions.com/en/immune-biosolutions-receives-c13-44-million-to-develop-and-biomanufacture-its-promising-immunotherapy-to-treat-covid-19-and-its-variants/

Ottawa Funded the Program with a Strategic Innovation Fund Award The Government of Canada confirms up to $13.44 million to Immune Biosolutions “to help develop and advance its therapeutic candidate from pre-clinical studies through to Phase II clinical trials.” Source https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/programs-and-initiatives/health-emergency-readiness-canada/publications-health-emergency-readiness-canada/backgrounder-government-canada-investments-biomanufacturing-vaccine-and-therapeutics-ecosystem

What UOF Says About Its Involvement Universal Ostrich Farm (UOF) has publicly stated it collaborated with Immune Biosolutions—describing provision of antigens/antibody work—but also says the collaboration was “abruptly terminated.” Source https://saveourostriches.com/press-releases/official-statement-from-universal-ostrich-farms-inc-may21-2025/

Reporting in The Tyee also quotes a UOF representative stating that the farm collaborated with Immune Biosolutions in 2021 and that the relationship ceased thereafter. Source https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/05/16/BC-Ostrich-Farm-Far-Right-Crusade/

How it Ended UOF’s statement and related posts indicate that the collaboration was halted and that Immune Biosolutions retained some effective antibodies from the project. These are UOF’s claims; they are not independently corroborated by company press or government documents. Source https://saveourostriches.com/press-releases/official-statement-from-universal-ostrich-farms-inc-may21-2025/

Bottom Line The Universal Ostrich Farm was not a rogue experiment. Public records and statements show it was reported to be working with Immune Biosolutions in Sherbrooke, Quebec. This biotech company received $13.44 million from Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund to develop COVID-19 immunotherapies. The farm has said it participated in this research effort, providing ostrich antibodies as part of a government-backed program exploring new treatments for Canadians.

While the grant money went directly to Immune Biosolutions (not the farm), UOF has publicly stated it was involved as a contractor, and that the collaboration was terminated in 2025 with no payments received. This all occurred prior to the CFIA detecting H5N1 on the farm in December 2024. According to the farm, the collaboration with Immune Biosolutions was not formally terminated until 2025.

By the time the CFIA moved in, the research relationship had already been severed. A flock once tied to a government-backed COVID research program is now treated solely as a disease risk. That contradiction deserves scrutiny.