Kuorttisen calls for confirmation tests following erroneous salmonella results in Finland

Due to an erroneous salmonella test result, a Lappeenranta-based organic chicken farm, Kuorttisen, has urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to require a confirmation test for any positive salmonella cases and to discuss such situations directly with the farm owners. The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and the Poultry Association have also called for changes to the legal interpretation governing salmonella monitoring to prevent similar errors in the future.

Janne Rautakannel from Kuorttisen highlighted that had a retest been conducted and consultations undertaken, the farm would not have lost its chickens unnecessarily. “This can never happen again to anyone in Finland. Farmers must be listened to because we know our animals. If we demand a retest, it must be taken seriously,” he said.

The series of unfortunate events began in May when salmonella was detected at the farm, leading to the culling of over 4,000 chickens. However, it was later revealed in June that the bacteria originated from the laboratory that tested the samples, not from the farm itself. By this time, the farm had already lost a significant number of clients, including major retailers and hotels in the Helsinki area.

Lappeenranta law firm Heikki Oikkonen is negotiating with the laboratory responsible for the error in hopes of securing the one million euros in damages required by the organic farm. Eurofins Scientific Finland, which operates the laboratory, has acknowledged the mistake, but no information on compensation has been provided thus far. Kuorttisen is prepared for the possibility that a resolution may not be reached before the end of the year.

With new chicks received under an exemption from the Finnish Food Authority, production at Kuorttisen is slowly returning to normal. However, they will have to rebuild their marketing efforts from scratch as some customers have turned to alternative egg suppliers. “Of course, we are anxious about whether consumers will accept our eggs without doubt, even though the test result was incorrect,” Rautakannel added.