Swine Innovation Porc and its partners will also contribute $5.8 million, making a total investment of up to $18.5 million in research over a five-year period.

June 27, 2018

3 Min Read
Canadian hog industry advancing with research investment
Getty Images/Carsten Koall

Over the next five years, up to $18.5 million will be invested by the Canadian government and industry partners in research to further the development of the Canadian pork industry.

Swine Innovation Porc and the Canadian Pork Council welcome Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay’s announcement, highlighting that up to $12.7 million will be invested by the federal government. This investment comes under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Clusters. The Swine Research and Development Cluster investment is the first of a series of AgriScience Clusters to be announced under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership launched in April.

Swine Innovation Porc and its partners will also contribute $5.8 million, making a total investment of up to $18.5 million in research over a five-year period.

“The Canadian swine sector will benefit enormously from this investment,” states Stewart Cressman, chair of Swine Innovation Porc, who was on hand for the announcement in Sherbrooke, Québec. “We want to thank Minister MacAulay for this significant investment, which shows AAFC’s commitment to support industry-led research. We are confident that the outcomes from program’s research projects will help increase the competitiveness of the Canadian pork industry in terms of animal welfare, the environment, as well as animal health and nutrition.”

Quick facts

• Canada is the ninth largest pork producer in the world, representing approximately 2% of global production. In 2016, Canada exported approximately 70% of overall Canadian hog production, with a value of $3.8 billion.
• The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector. The partnership builds on Growing Forward 2, the previous five-year agreement that ended on March 31.
• The Partnership includes programs and activities to enhance the competitiveness of the sector through research, science and innovation. Through the AgriScience Program, a five-year, up to up to $338 million initiative, the government is supporting leading edge discovery and applied science, and innovation driven by industry research priorities.

 

CPC Second Vice Chairman René Roy was also present for the announcement. Roy highlights the need for ongoing research in the swine industry so that producers can continue to innovate and produce high-quality pork for domestic and international markets. “Producers rely on science-based research to guide the innovations that help the industry grow. This funding is essential so that the Canadian pork industry can continue to compete with other important producers in the world, such as the United States and the European Union, and set the standard for wholesome pork.”

This funding contribution is part of the AAFC’s Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience Program Clusters. It encourages research and innovation to take place to enhance the profitability and sustainability of the agricultural sector. Swine Innovation Porc will use this investment to implement its national knowledge transfer and research and development strategies under the program “Swine Cluster 3 — Innovating for a Stronger Pork Sector.” The goal of this program is to accelerate the pace of innovation, drive sustainable growth, strengthen competitiveness and maximize the resilience of the sector.

The up to $18.5 million Swine Cluster 3 program will be the third such program led by Swine Innovation Porc. “Swine Innovation Porc has proven its ability to drive national research programs,” notes Cressman. “We are ready to officially launch this new program so researchers can begin working on ways to help the industry be even stronger.”

Since 2010, the objectives of research funded through the Swine Cluster program have focused on reducing the cost of production, increasing product differentiation and enhancing knowledge transfer. The total investment over eight years amounts to $31.7 million and has resulted in the completion of 35 different projects and over 1,000 communication activities.

The Canadian Pork Council is the national voice for hog producers in Canada. A federation of nine provincial pork industry associations representing 7,000 farms, the organization plays a leadership role in achieving and maintaining a dynamic and prosperous Canadian pork sector.

Swine Innovation Porc facilitates research and development in the Canadian swine sector, targeting and supporting research that will increase the industry’s overall profitability and sustainability.

Sources: Canadian Pork Council, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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