Iowa Pork Producers Association director Aaron Juergens speaks at the Manitoba Pork Council annual meeting in Winnipeg April 13.

Pork sector shows cross-border anxiety on meat labelling

American pork producers also nervous on VCOOL, U.S. industry reps say

Hog producers in Iowa and Minnesota aren’t pleased with U.S. changes to meat labelling that could have spillover effects into Manitoba, representatives told Manitoba Pork’s gathered membership in mid-April. “As pork producers, we love the trade,” said Aaron Juergens, an Iowa hog farmer and director with the Iowa Pork Producers Association. Why it matters: Manitoba’s

Greece detects wild ASF case

Reuters – Greece has found African swine fever (ASF) in a wild boar in the north of the country, the World Organization for Animal Health said Jan. 23. The disease was found in a dead wild boar in a forest in the Serres region, which borders Bulgaria and North Macedonia, according to Greek authorities. Greece’s


“It’s really gratifying seeing Canadian pork on shelves literally around the world."

Bergmann’s exit the end of an era

Bergmann leaves his CPC role as the pork council’s longest-running chair

Rick Bergmann of Steinbach has seen a few things during his time at the helm of the Canadian Pork Council board. Elected as chair in 2015, Bergmann stepped down this January. “You have to look back and look (at) what you’ve done or accomplished,” he said. In the case of an eight-year incumbency at the

A weaning ramp is easier on piglets and on the workers who handle them.

Manitoba piglet ‘weaning ramp’ earns Aherne Prize

Temple Grandin praises innovative ramp that saves the backs of workers and is gentler on piglets

Two employees of HyLife sow farms in La Broquerie have won the F. X. Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production at the 2023 Banff Pork Seminar. In most sow farms, the weaning process typically involves picking up piglets, vaccinating them and separating them by sex. But repeatedly collecting and picking up piglets places strain on



“…we were definitely scrambling to find supply and through that period of time, prioritizing orders that were extremely urgent.” – Jeff Clark, PigTRACE.

PigTRACE tag blockage cleared

PigTRACE ear tags are flowing smoothly again after the better part of a year of holdups

The scramble to source ear tags for the pork sector’s PigTRACE traceability program is over, according to the industry. PigTRACE recently confirmed that the backlog in approved tags has cleared after about 10 months of supply issues. Why it matters: The traceability program has been mandatory for producers for years but the ear tags needed


Central European Boar. In 2020, an outbreak of African Swine Fever that devastated the German pork industry is suspected to have come from wild pigs from Poland.

Animal diseases at centre of tri-nation accord meeting

Co-ordinated full-government approach to outbreaks touted

International cooperation is essential for managing livestock diseases, says Cam Dahl, general manager of Manitoba Pork. Dahl was referring to discussions at the 31st Tri-National Agricultural Accord held in Saltillo, Mexico in October. “There were a lot of discussions around disease and how we work together on potential problems, something that’s absolutely critical,” says Dahl. Manitoba Agriculture Minister

Topigs Norsvin Canada general manager Cam McGavin stands outside the incoming Innova Canada site in western Manitoba.

Topigs Norsvin to open new nucleus barn

Nucleus site marks deeper Manitoba roots for global pig genetics company

The gene pool for purebred hogs in Manitoba is about to get a little deeper. Construction is entering its final phase at Innova Canada, the latest Manitoba site for global hog genetics company Topigs Norsvin. The facility north of Plumas will be a new breeding and gestation nucleus site for the company. Cam McGavin, general


piglets

Funds lined up for programs, planning against swine fever

Details are pending on a two-year funding package for the pork industry

The federal government is putting up an eight-figure funding wall to help prevent African swine fever from ever reaching Canada’s hog farms and to prepare against any breach. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said Aug. 26 the government will provide up to $45.3 million toward a three-pronged effort to boost disease prevention and preparedness: pork sector

‘The hog sector is transitioning to Canadian Pork Excellence, a set of programs that allow registered pork producers to demonstrate compliance with food safety and animal care requirements.’ – Cam Dahl

Comment: Farmers and the ‘prove it’ generation

Be real about modern agriculture because there’s much to be proud of

What is a farmer’s relationship with environmental and animal welfare certification programs? Would it be right to say that it’s complicated? On one hand, farmers feel targeted by those in the activist community who reject the realities of modern agriculture. No genetically modified anything. No fertilizer. No pesticides. Small holdings with a few chickens, a