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Pork Industry better equipped to prevent and respond to disease | |
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| | April 24, 2014
Related Information | Media Inquiries
Audio clip of Minister Olson
Enhancing biosecurity and education to help combat the spread of pig diseases will help Alberta’s hog producers maintain a healthy pork industry.
Through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), the governments of Canada and Alberta are providing $1.35 million to Alberta Pork to help address the threat of pig diseases, such as porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), to the swine industry. The funding is in addition to existing GF2 grants that are available to pork producers and farm service providers to enhance biosecurity measures in their operations.
“This funding for the pork sector is a proactive step to help the industry fight pig diseases and improve biosecurity measures across the province. Through Alberta’s Budget 2014, we are continuing our commitment to make significant Growing Forward 2 investments that will strengthen our province’s agriculture industry.”
- Verlyn Olson, Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
“Our Government recognizes the importance of the Canadian hog industry in creating jobs and economic growth. This investment provides Alberta Pork with the tools and resources it needs to support producers and processors in improving biosecurity.”
- Blaine Calkins, Member of Parliament for Wetaskiwin
“The funding will help our industry respond to current disease threats as well as prepare for and help prevent future threats to the industry. Biosecurity continues to be our best defence to keep disease off the farm, and we must all continue to be vigilant – from farmers to truckers and processors.”
- Frank Novak, Chairman of Alberta Pork
Actions supported by the Alberta Pork grant:
· Updating Alberta Pork’s swine risk assessment
· Training veterinarians to perform on-farm biosecurity audits, and conducting those audits
· Developing a system for farm service providers to have their biosecurity processes assessed
· Developing education and information materials for producers
Growing Forward 2 is a joint federal-provincial-territorial agreement that is investing $400 million in strategic programs to support the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of Alberta’s agriculture sector.
Backgrounder
There are about 380 pork producers in Alberta, and Alberta produces 2.3 million market hogs annually.
About Growing Forward 2
Alberta agriculture and agri-food producers can apply to 24 Growing Forward 2 (GF2) programs to enhance their operations.
GF2 is in the second year of a $400 million, five-year commitment by the federal and Alberta governments. This is a 50 per cent increase from the previous Growing Forward agreement. GF2 programs are cost-shared 60:40 between the Canada and Alberta governments.
Programs under GF2 include support for environmental stewardship, food safety, biosecurity, business management, market development, water management, farm safety, research and agri-business innovation. The majority of Alberta programs are open for applications in April 2014. The 2014-15 programs include an expanded agricultural watershed enhancement program and a new livestock welfare program for producers.
Related Information
Growing Forward 2 in Canada
Growing Forward 2 in Alberta
Biosecurity information – Canadian Swine Health Board
Media Inquiries
Christina Bruce
christina.bruce@gov.ab.ca
587-338-5783
Communications
Agriculture and Rural Development
Geoff Geddes
geoff.geddes@albertapork.com
780-440-8460
Communications Coordinator
Alberta Pork
Jeff English
jeff.english@agr.gc.ca
613-773-1059
Director of Communications
Office of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
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For more information about the content of this document, contact Kelly Bernard.
This information published to the web on April 24, 2014.
Last Reviewed/Revised on April 10, 2015.
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