Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced today the development of a risk management strategy being undertaken by the Manitoba Pork Council for pork producers to recover from the devastation caused by potential outbreaks of diseases, such as porcine epidemic diarrhea.

The Manitoba Pork Council will receive an investment of $482,158 toward a two-year project that aims to create an effective, affordable and self-sustainable risk management program, that responds to periods of financial instability in the Manitoba hog industry. This could also include measures to assist producers with costs associated with cleaning and disinfection, so the producer is able to recover as quickly as possible.

It follows on the success of provincial poultry sectors in Canada that have established a reciprocal insurance system to guard against the impacts of avian influenza and other diseases.

"Producers need to know that they have the tools and supports available to them if the worst happens. I'm excited by the potential of this project, not just for Manitoba, but for the pork sector across Canada. Our government is working closely with the sector on many measures that deal with disease outbreaks before, during and after they occur," Bibeau says.

While still at the early stages of development, if successful, the risk management strategy could expand to incorporate pork sectors in other provinces, with the understanding that the bigger the pool of participants, the more affordable it would be to individual producers.

Canada is a world leader of pork production and the government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its pork farmers. The government is fully engaged in maintaining the stability of our pork farmers, evidenced by the many measures being taken to prevent African swine fever from entering Canada.

"Manitoba Pork thanks the federal government for their support of this project, so that we can develop some private sector solutions to mitigate the economic impact of diseases and market fluctuations. We will ensure that the project results will have application to all pork producers in Canada. The poultry sector has lead the way in developing risk management tools for specific diseases that affect their sector. We hope to build upon those initiatives to create insurance products for the pork sector," says George Matheson, chair, Manitoba Pork Council.

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