Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1237

The Canadian Pork Council hopes to secure funding in time to begin a series of pilot studies this fall that will assist in developing a national system for tracking swine.

The pilot studies will evaluate systems used in other countries for tracking swine through the production and processing chain.

The project is based on recommendations contained in a report prepared for the pork producers association in Quebec and will expand on studies planned for this spring in that province. Canadian Pork Council Hog Production Analyst Eric Aubin says traceability is already mandatory in Quebec for beef and dairy cattle, pilot studies are underway for sheep and swine is next on the list.

"The provincial government in Quebec decided that all of the hogs would need to be traced back by 2004 so it is important for Quebec to conduct these pilot studies so they will be able to inform their producers on how identification and traceability should be done.

It would have been very difficult for them to suggest a system if they weren't tested in the field. As for the other provinces, the three pork associations in the Maritimes already indicated their willingness in participating through pilot studies.

For the rest, Ontario is quite interested and also the prairies but it hasn't been decided yet, officially, if Ontario and the western provinces will participate through the pilot studies."

Aubin says the intent is to access funding for the pilot studies through the Agricultural Policy Framework but some provinces have not yet signed the implementation agreement so it's difficult to know when the funds will be accessible.

He says, ideally, the project could start this spring but the money is unlikely to be available in time so the hope is to begin in the fall.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.