The federal government is investing up to $3.1 million to improve swine disease surveillance and diagnostic testing across Canada, with the goal of helping pork producers detect infectious diseases more quickly and limit their spread.
Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald announced the funding Friday for the Canadian Pork Council through the AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component.
The project will support the development, validation and upgrading of multiplex assay technologies, which allow laboratories to screen for multiple domestic swine viruses from a single sample, said a federal news release. Funding will also support a targeted national proficiency program aimed at improving consistency among veterinary laboratories and the creation of a secure surveillance database to track swine viruses.
The work is based at the Atlantic Veterinary College and will involve collaboration among veterinary practitioners, laboratories and industry.
Agriculture Canada said the investment is intended to improve access to cost-effective, sensitive and specific diagnostic testing for swine intestinal and respiratory viruses. Faster detection can help producers and veterinarians respond more quickly to outbreaks and reduce potential impacts on herd health, productivity and the wider food supply, the release said.
“Early swine health detection is one of our strongest defences in protecting our herd and maintaining affordable and high-quality Canadian pork products,” Canadian Pork Council chair Rene Roy said. “This $3.1 million investment will improve the speed, accuracy, and coordination of swine health surveillance.”
The federal government noted that disease outbreaks can also create significant economic losses and affect animal welfare and producer well-being.
Canada’s pork sector supports an estimated 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and generates more than $24 billion annually.
