News - Agriculture

The General Manager of Manitoba Pork warns the labor shortage facing agriculture is limiting the sector’s growth potential and causing some operations to question whether they can continue to operate.

The Canada and Manitoba governments continue to support producers impacted by drought by announcing a Herd Management Drought Assistance program under the AgriRecovery framework. The program will help livestock producers offset the costs associated with replacing breeding animals culled due to shortages of winter feed.

Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development advises a new case of a variant H1N2 (influenza A) flu virus has been identified. The case has been reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada in accordance with international health regulations.

The Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services reports, while the cash hog market continues to face pressure, the futures market looks good.

The Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork reports the investigation into the cause of Manitoba’s latest Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea outbreak is well underway and the hope is that its spread has been contained. 12 cases of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea have been confirmed in Manitoba since the outbreak was identified October 25th.

The Manager of the Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network is encouraging pork producers to report any incidents of sudden death to their herd veterinarians and request rule out testing for African Swine Fever.

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing $2.2 million in three agricultural research projects, to be conducted by Topigs Norsvin Canada (TN), that will enhance the competitiveness of Manitoba pork producers by improving the precision feeding of sows and promoting higher animal welfare standards.

New swine transport trailer design guidelines under development by the Prairie Swine Centre are expected to help improve the cleanability, safety and animal welfare aspects of equipment used to transport pigs.

A Veterinary Pathologist with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is encouraging the public, especially those who work with pigs, to get the annual flu shot.

The General Manager of Manitoba Pork says legislation recently passed in Manitoba is all about protecting farm animals from the potential introduction of disease.