Farm-Scape, Episode 1650

Sask Pork has recognized the first award recipients under its annual Pork Industry Stewardship Awards program.

The Sask Pork Pork Industry Stewardship Awards program was unveiled one year ago in an to effort to recognize the excellence of individuals and organizations in three categories, production, community relations and animal care.

Four recipients were honored last week in Saskatoon in conjunction with Saskatchewan Pork Symposium 2004. Sask Pork Executive Assistant and Communications Coordinator Kim Browne says the production award recognizes improved production efficiencies through applied research, the community relations award recognizes exemplary leadership and community involvement and the animal care award recognizes extraordinary animal care and stewardship.

"Launa Shaw of the Kenlis Nucleus Barn in Abernethy, Saskatchewan with Hypor received an award for leadership in production for her part in eradicating PRRS in the barns and working to incorporate a protocol to eliminate the disease from the barn in the future.

In the production category we also had an award going to Dave Wurz Jr. of Lakeview Pork in Saskatchewan for excellence in production and animal care.

The next award in the production category was presented to the Prairie Swine Centre for their excellence in production research.

The work they do at the Prairie Swine Centre assists producers in lowering their production costs and allows them to operate more efficiently.

In the community relations category we had the award presented to Harold and Marjorie Fast of HM Fast Farms in Spiritwood, Saskatchewan for their contribution to their community and general community spirit."

Browne says, as new inroads are made in animal care and as Canadian Quality Assurance expands, there will be additional opportunities to add new categories in the future.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.