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 1297

The Canadian Pork Council has approved a series of pilot studies designed to help establish guidelines for a national traceability system.

The traceability system pilot studies, which will involve approximately four abattoirs and 50 swine producers, will test the cost and effectiveness of different systems which deal with individual identification and lot identification.

Canadian Pork Council Agricultural Policy Analyst Eric Aubin says the studies are expected to get underway in August and results are anticipated in November 2004.

"The pilot studies will test, in terms of the scenarios, one scenario that looks at lot identification.

They're going to look at potential inventories that could be used for lot identification. They'll also look at the use of electronic manifests to monitor the movement of these groups of animals.

In terms of non-automated individual identification, they're going to look at different techniques like slap shoulder tattoos, ear tags and so on.

We're also going to test electronic identification methods which are radio frequency electronic identification.

One is a half duplex tag and the other one is kind of an anticollision tag which is a new technology".

Aubin says, once funding confirmation is received from Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, a project management team will be assembled.

He says that team, with the help of provincial pork associations, will identify farms and contact abattoirs to explore their interest in participating.

He says the hope is to identify the abattoirs and farms that will take part by September-October of this year.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.