Enhancing biosecurity and education to help combat the spread of pig diseases will help Alberta's hog producers maintain a healthy pork industry.
April 24, 2014 - Alberta - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Through Growing Forward 2, 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 Growing Forward 2 grants that are available to pork producers and farm service providers to enhance biosecurity measures in their operations.
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.
Jeff English
Director of Communications
Office of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada
Christina Bruce
Communications
Agriculture and Rural Development
christina.bruce@gov.ab.ca
780-422-1005
Geoff Geddes
Communications Coordinator
Alberta Pork
geoff.geddes@albertapork.com
780-440-8460
There are about 380 pork producers in Alberta, and Alberta produces 2.3 million market hogs annually.
Alberta agriculture and agri-food producers can apply to 24 Growing Forward 2 programs to enhance their operations.
Growing Forward 2 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. Growing Forward 2 programs are cost-shared 60:40 between the Canada and Alberta governments.
Programs under Growing Forward 2 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.
