The Chair of Manitoba Pork suggests a U.S. system for tracing swine movements, modeled after the one being used in Canada, would help protect swine heath in both countries.
International trade, public relations and social license and swine health were among the topics discussed earlier this month when representatives of Manitoba Pork traveled to Des Moines, Iowa for the 30th anniversary edition of World Pork Expo.
Manitoba Pork Chair George Matheson, who began attending the annual event 10 years ago as a delegate, says relations among U.S. and Canadian producers where then and are still strong and their issues are our issues.
PED had a big impact in 2014 in the United States. You don’t hear about that so much these days. In Manitoba it had a big impact last year. We’ve had nine cases so far this year. We’re trying to keep it contained. We do have traceability in Canada as far as pig movement. We would very much like to see that take place in the U.S. so that they can track disease transfers as well.
PED was a devastating disease. It took out six percent of the pig numbers in 2014. If we can work together to know where these diseases are, track them, know where they can be contained and do what we do best in regards to biosecurity it will mean protecting the pig herd in Canada and we want to see the pig herd protected in the U.S. as well.
~ George Matheson, Manitoba Pork
Matheson says the U.S. and Canadian pork sectors are not separate industries. He says Canadian and U.S. producers enjoy working together and will face the challenges together, enjoy the good times together and deal with the bad times together.
