The federal government is investing another $1.6
million in PigTrace, the traceability program for Canada’s pork industry.
It’s also adding $351,000 to the more than $29
million provided to the Canadian Swine Health Board to address the threat from diseases such as Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced the
funding at the Canada Pork International annual meeting in Toronto this week.
“Today’s announcement will go a long way in
helping the pork industry continue its implementation of a world class
traceability system and making traceability a feasible and valuable tool for
Canadian producers,” said Norman Martineau, chairman of the Canada Pork
Council’s Traceability Implementation Committee.
The federal government made hog traceability mandatory last July 1.
The $29 million for addressing hog
health, including measures to stop the spread of PED, included biosecurity
training.
More than 90 per cent of Certified Quality Assurance hog production sites across
Canada received training on the Farm-Level Biosecurity Standard to increase
awareness and encourage producers to implement best management practices and
manage disease risks on farm, says a news release from the federal agriculture
department.
