The Canadian Swine Exporters Association represents Canada's suppliers of purebred swine genetics including live animals and fresh and frozen semen.

Last month, as part of federal support announced for the Canadian pork industry, the association received funding to go after new markets including the European Union, Russia and Latin America.

Association executive director Rosemary Smart says expanding the market for Canadian genetics is a win-win situation.

Rosemary Smart-Canadian Swine Exporters Association

The benefits are for Canada in bringing in foreign dollars into our economy.

Also our purebred producers are able to sell to the foreign markets some of their purebred breeding stock.

It helps the economy from the farm gate through the sale from shipping the pigs and the exporter that's making the sale.

For the customer, they're getting top quality genetics.

They're going to have high quality, high health pigs that will give them faster growing and better quality meat.

Tools, we are offering training programs to our buyers so that we can assist the foreign buyers with technology and training, A.I. as well as just herd management, selection tools, research some of the advances that we've had in Canada.

We like to share our genetic knowledge.

That's something that maybe sets us apart from our competition is that the training programs are offered to our buyers.

Ms Smart says it's a five year marketing strategy and, while not every contact results in a sale right away, the association is looking to make significant sales over the next five years.