Guelph, Canada, May 2026 – The PROCINORTE Animal Health Task Force, in partnership with the University of Guelph, convened the International Hybrid Conference on Avian Influenza at the Human-Animal Interface: Surveillance, Control and Challenges on May 26 and 27 in Guelph, Ontario. The event brought together 424 participants from 32 countries, including researchers, policymakers and animal health specialists, to exchange knowledge and discuss strategies to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Discussions focused on disease surveillance, biosecurity, epidemiology, wildlife monitoring and the application of the One Health approach to animal and public health challenges. Over two days, internationally recognized experts from government agencies, research institutions and universities examined emerging risks at the human-animal interface and explored opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation and enhance preparedness for future outbreaks.
The program featured leading experts from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) and Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), and Mexico’s National Institute for Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP). Representatives from SENASICA, the University of Guelph, the University of Toronto, the University of the West Indies and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) also contributed to the discussions.
About PROCINORTE
PROCINORTE is the trilateral network for agricultural science, innovation and technology cooperation among Canada, Mexico and the United States. Since 1998, it has promoted collaborative research, scientific exchange and technical cooperation in areas such as animal health, plant health, agricultural resilience and genetic resources. The network’s Executive Secretariat is hosted by the IICA Delegation in Canada, which supports coordination among partner institutions and facilitates collaboration on shared agricultural priorities across North America.
Contact
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
Delegation in Canada | 1002 – 130 Albert Street, Ottawa ON K1P 5G4 – Canada
Phone: (+1) 613-230-1044 | e-mail: iica.ca@iica.int
