They’re adding protective plexiglass shields, bringing in trailers to separate groups of workers, and boosting communication on biosecurity. It’s all part of an ongoing effort to ensure pork processing plants aren’t disrupted by COVID-19. “I’m very impressed by our packers, and for the workers for coming to work every day and being there and realizing […] Read more
Canada’s pork sector up to speed, aware of challenges
Processing plants enhancing biosecurity; producers being urged to watch their stress levels
COVID-19 cases shut Olymel hog slaughter plant
Facility in Quebec's Mauricie region to close for two weeks
The COVID-19 coronavirus has made its way into the labour pool at a major pork packing plant in Quebec’s Mauricie region, forcing a two-week shutdown. Olymel, the meat packing arm of Quebec-based Sollio Co-operative Group, announced Sunday it will temporarily close its hog slaughter and cutting plant at Yamachiche, about 20 km west of Trois-Rivieres, […] Read more
Pork supply chain not experiencing disruptions, says hog marketing agency
Entire sector has strong biosecurity protocols, says general manager of the Western Hog Exchange
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prices are soft but the hog supply chain is working well, says the general manager of the Western Hog Exchange. The typical mid-March price rally hasn’t occurred but COVID-19 has roiled all markets, said Brent Bushell. “It’s no different than the stock markets, and everything else. It’s the uncertainty,” said Bushell. “I think people are […] Read more
China encourages firms to raise pigs overseas
Officials aim to plug domestic pork shortage
Beijing | Reuters — China said Monday it is encouraging companies to build pig farms overseas to plug a severe domestic pork shortage after a worse-than-ever African swine fever slashed almost half of its pig herd. China has urged local authorities to support qualified domestic firms to “go out,” and build hog farming bases in […] Read more
CME to raise hog futures trading limits as swine fever fuels volatility
New daily limit of 3.75 U.S. cents proposed for mid-April
Chicago | Reuters — CME Group said Thursday it plans to increase daily trading limits for its lean hog futures in April, then adjust them annually because of heightened volatility linked to the outbreak of a fatal pig disease in China. The spread of African swine fever in China, the world’s biggest pork consumer, has […] Read more
Manitoba to pilot insurance program against hog disease risks
Pork council study backed with federal, provincial funds
“Private sector solutions” to manage financial risks caused by disease outbreaks on hog farms are on the drawing board in a new Manitoba-led pilot project that could go nationwide. Coming out of a Thursday morning meeting with hog producers in Winnipeg, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced $482,158 from the AgriRisk Initiatives (ARI) arm of […] Read more
North American hog markets wracked by coronavirus
MarketsFarm — Besides shutting down entire cities and killing more than 1,000 people, China’s novel coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc on North America’s hog futures. “It’s a dubious relationship, but it is impacting markets,” said Tyler Fulton, risk management director for Hams Marketing Services in Winnipeg. Lean hog futures moved “in concert with drops in […] Read more
Wild pig problem in the spotlight at pork conference
The number of feral pigs is growing here and playing a key role in the African swine fever epidemic elsewhere
Reading Time: 4 minutes (Editor’s note: The following is an abridged and edited version of two articles. The full versions can be found at meristem.com by clicking on the 2020 Banff Pork Seminar link.) Two presentations at the 2020 Banff Pork Seminar highlighted the threat posed by wild boars. Ryan Brook, a University of Saskatchewan associate professor and wildlife […] Read more
Aherne Prize winners announced
Reading Time: < 1 minute A low-stress restraint for pigs and a device to reduce pre-wean mortality were the co-winners of this year’s F. X. Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production presented earlier this month at the Banff Pork Seminar. The Hammock Swine Restraint Device was developed by Tess Faulkner and Gillian Greaves of South West Ontario Veterinary Services. It […] Read more
‘Weak positive’ PED turns up in Alberta sample
A “weak positive” finding of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus from ongoing sampling in Alberta offers a warning that the hog disease may not have yet left the province alone. The chief provincial veterinarian’s office (OCPV) on Monday reported that the agriculture department’s lab in Edmonton on Jan. 22 found a weak PED positive […] Read more
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