A number of farmers quizzed their leaders about how well prepared the pork industry is for an outbreak of African Swine Fever when they met at the annual meeting of the Ontario Pork marketing board.
“Are we 100 per cent prepared?” one asked, noting that he has been hearing about the threat for five years.
The threat is that an outbreak could immediately cut off exports which account for 70 per cent of Ontario hog production. It would also burden farms that are hit with monstrous costs to depopulate, clean and disinfect and resume operations.
General manager Ken Ovington answered it’s “not likely” that the industry will ever be 100 per cent prepared, but said it’s in much better shape now than 10 years ago.
He said euthanasia protocols and slaughter-plant plans are well advanced and there is a system in place to keep producers and industry partners informed.
Ovington said Ontario Pork staff are working with peers in other provincial marketing boards and is preparing requests for funding for four projects under the federal government’s recently-announced funding for ASF preparedness.
Rene Roy, chairman of the Canadian Pork Council, said it has taken the lead on the industry-wide committees established to address the challenges.
He said “we’re better prepared than ever,” but much work remains to be done. The work now is focussed on the immediate response to an outbreak. He said this is something new for government officials who are usually responding to crisis and have not been proactive.
Stephen Heckbert, new executive director, said the council’s top priorities are developing a strategic plan, improving communications and advocating around African Swine Fever.
He said a new producer manual on best practices has passed Stage One approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for PigSafe and PigCare.
The deadline retailers had set to have sows out of gestation crates has been delayed from 2025 to 2029.
He said Japanese inspectors recently completed visits in Ontario and Quebec to verify protocols for producing pork that has not been produced with the help of ractopamine growth promotant.
Stacey Ash briefed the meeting on communications and marketing initiatives, including the development of videos featuring farmers. They will soon be aired on a new communications website.
