New Funding For Swine Biosecurity Program

Saskatchewan, June 21, 2012 - Today, federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced an investement of $150,000 for Sask Pork to implement the Canadian Swine Health Board's National Swine Farm-Level Biosecurity Program in Saskatchewan.

"Our producers take great pride in their operations and work hard to prevent the introduction and spread of swine diseases," said Ritz. "This investment will help strengthen on-farm biosecurity practices, ensuring our herds remain healthy and producers remain profitable."

"This funding will help prevent diseases from entering hog farms in Saskatchewan," Stewart said. "Biosecurity programming and education play an important role in making our food even safer and our industry stronger."

This program will assist Saskatchewan pork producers in implementing biosecurity sanitation improvements on their farms. Funding will be provided for quality assurance training, biosecurity action plans, veterinary site assessments, animal transportation planning, water treatment monitoring equipment, pest control devices and other equipment. By encouraging best practices that reduce the possibility of introducing and spreading swine diseases, the health of the entire Canadian swine population will be protected.

The program will be administered in Saskatchewan by Sask Pork.

Sask Pork Chairman, Jay McGrath, applauded the commitment from both levels of government for advancing on-farm biosecurity initiatives.

"We're proud of the high quality hogs we raise in Saskatchewan," McGrath said. "The consistent high-health status of our herds has resulted in global demand for our animals and meat products. This funding assists with vital operational changes and enhanced veterinary care necessary to further safeguard the health of our livestock."

This investment is being provided under the federal-provincial Growing Forward framework.

For more information, media may contact:

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972

Meagan Murdoch
Director of Communications
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059

Jonathan Tremblay
Agriculture
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5155
Cell: 306-529-4199
Email: Jonathan.Tremblay@gov.sk.ca

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