The Government of Canada is attempting to protect the Canadian pork sector by supporting prevention and preparedness measures for African swine fever (ASF).

ASF is a viral disease that only impacts pigs. 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. 

On May 17, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Francis Drouin announced an investment of up to $9,645,586 to fund 29 African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program (ASFIPP) projects in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

As examples of how the funding is being allocated, the Canadian Pork Council is receiving $412,971 for the development of an ASFMeter: a portable, low-cost tool for rapidly diagnosing African swine fever virus in the field.

The Ontario Pork Industry Council is receiving a total of $300,777 for biosecurity and outbreak response planning.

A total of $631,885 is also being contributed to the Ontario Pork Producers Marketing Board (Ontario Pork) for biosecurity and outbreak response planning.

The Éleveurs de porcs du Québec is receiving $204,878 for biosecurity and crisis management planning.  Additionally, l’Équipe québécoise de santé porcine will receive $658,546 for planning possible surplus hog depopulation.

“We would like to thank the Canadian government for its participation in the efforts to prevent African swine fever. This is a sword of Damocles dangling over the heads of every member of our industry. Les Éleveurs de Porcs is a long-standing, leading partner in this effort, and has been very proactive in advancing the work to ensure that we are ready to manage and limit the damage to farmers caused by such a crisis. This financial assistance is essential, as are compartmentalization and zoning agreements with countries with which we trade pork and pork products,” President of the Éleveurs de porcs du Québec and the Équipe québécoise de santé porcine President Louis-Philippe Roy said.

The federal investments will fund ASF research, improved 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, and will help ensure the sector is prepared should a case be detected.