Farmscape for October 12, 2011   (Episode 3682)

The Chair of the Canadian Swine Health Board says there's a growing recognition among Canada's pork producers of the need to protect the health status of Canada's pork industry.

The Canadian Swine Health Board was formed to address disease issues affecting Canada's pork industry.

Registration for the organization's 3rd annual meeting, slated for November 3rd and 4th in Niagara Falls, Ontario is now open.

Board Chair Florian Possberg says Canada's pork industry is known for a high level of food safety, healthy animals and healthy products and, because of that reputation, enjoys access to most markets.

Clip-Florian Possberg-Canadian Swine Health Board:
Health is a big advantage for Canada right now.

There's many countries that deal with animal diseases, swine diseases that really impact the ability of pigs number one to stay alive in some situations and in some cases there's foreign animal diseases like foot and mouth and classical swine fever and those sorts of things that affect herds.

What we know though in Canada is that there's a difference in health between herds from farm to farm and that healthy herds have a real advantage in terms of productivity and viability.

That's really the goal of the Canadian Swine Health Board is number one to keep the real nasties out of Canada that we don't have and number two is to work with herds to have healthy herds and provide with tools that will help maintain that health advantage.

Possberg says we want herds that are healthy to stay healthy and, if we can work with herds that health challenged to become healthy and provide the tools to maintain a higher level of health, then we're really doing our job.

For more information on the Canadian Swine Health Board's 3rd annual meeting or to register visit swinehealth.ca.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       * Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council