Edmonton's Pig Science Centre Shifts Focus to Summer Tours

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 1547

Alberta Pork estimates one thousand people have visited the 'Pig Science Centre' at the new Swine Research Technology Centre on the south side of Edmonton.

The 'Pig Science Centre' is a biosecure interpretive centre built as part of the University of Alberta's new Swine Research Technology Centre.

The project was spearheaded by Alberta Pork which arranged for funding, developed the educational materials and oversees the operation of the interpretive centre.

Alberta Pork Communications Specialist Jodi Hesse says the facility provides the opportunity to show what the hog industry is all about.

"It is a 45 minute tour that we give on swine production. It looks into two viewing galleries within the Edmonton Research Station Swine Technology Research Centre, one looking into the farrowing rooms and the other looking into gestation housing.

It allows us to open the doors to people and show them what hog production is all about and also allows us to explain the reason why farmers won't let them onto their property.

That was the biggest thing for us. It just gives us the ability to allow people to see into the hog production world. We've seen about a thousand people go through the facility to date.

That would include our school groups and teachers and parents that accompany the students. As well, we've put through some scouts and girl guides. We have university students going through for their university level programs.

Researchers have gone through. We also do animal rights and environment courses. Anyone who has a concern about the industry, we've toured people like that through, just showing them that we have nothing to hide and what the hog industry is all about".

Hesse says the pig science centre completed this season's school tours last week and has shifted its focus to other group tours during the summer.

She says anybody who is interested in a tour is welcome to contact Alberta Pork for a booking.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.