$9.6 million in federal funding earmarked for ASF prevention, planning

The federal government has earmarked more than $9.6 million to help the Canadian pork sector prevent and prepare for African swine fever (ASF).

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Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, said in a release 29 African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program (ASFIPP) projects across the country will receive funding.

Provincial projects include improving biosecurity measures, wild pig management activities, retrofits of existing abattoirs, regional preparation for the welfare depopulation and disposal of healthy hogs, and sector analysis, engagement and education tools, said Drouin. 

The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) also received ASFIPP funding to develop an ASFMeter, a portable, low-cost tool for rapidly diagnosing ASF in the field, the organization said in a separate release.

In collaboration with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., the CPC said “this innovative program aims to revolutionize ASF detection by providing a convenient and effective solution for on-site testing.”

CPC Chair René Roy said the AAFC/McMaster University collaboration “brings together expertise in research and technology, ensuring that the ASFMeter meets the rigorous standards required for rapid and accurate ASF detection.”

Roy said the ASFIPP funding underscores the importance of research and development in enhancing biosecurity measures within the swine industry, as well as the joint industry/government proactive approach being taken to prepare for potential challenges to ensure the sustainability of Canadian pork production.

A detection of ASF in Canada would immediately stop exports of pork products and live pigs, which could significantly impact the pork industry. The Canadian pork industry exports roughly two-thirds of its pork production and millions of live hogs per year.

In 2023, pork exports were valued at $4.7 billion, excluding the 6.7 million live swine exported throughout the year. 

While it has not been found in Canada to date, as it spreads around the globe, it poses a significant risk to the health of the Canadian swine herd, the pork industry, and the Canadian economy, AAFC said.  

Since 2018, ASF has spread through parts of Asia and Europe, and was detected in the Caribbean in 2021.

Eight Ontario projects will receive over $2.2 million of ASFIPP funding. These include:

– CO2 storage and a mobile CO2 trailer, portable swine depopulation system and a commercial wash bay for cleaning and disinfection (Cornerstone Group, a pressure washing company in Sarnia-Lambton);

-development of the ASFMeter (Canadian Pork Council, with McMaster University);

-development of biosecurity recommendations and design concepts to reduce disease transmission risk in assembly yards (Ontario Pork Industry Council);

-developing training and preparation for key industry players who will help with welfare slaughter and herd depopulation in the event of an ASF outbreak (Ontario Pork Industry Council);

-farm-specific planning for humane depopulation on Ontario commercial swine farms; survey available on-farm resources (Ontario Pork);

-evaluation of existing Ontario Swine Incident Command Centre program structure and identify and address gaps (Ontario Pork);

-operationalize and facilitate prompt deployment of two newly-built emergency mobile depopulation trailers in reponse to ASF or other foreign animal disease event (Ontario Pork);

-develop a model to estimate the production impact of a disruption to swine production and marketing with an interactive user interface (University of Guelph).

The $23.4 million ASFIPP was launched in 2022 and to help Canada’s pork industry prepare for the possibility of ASF entering the country.

Funding for the projects announced today must be completed by March 31, 2025.