The government of Canada has committed up to CA$10.6 million (US$7.8 million) to Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) through the AgriScience Program – Clusters Component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
The Cluster seeks to enhance Canada’s position in the global pork sector by conducting strategic research initiatives that will advance sustainability, resilience and growth opportunities. Research activities are expected to:
- Improve understanding of sector environmental and climate performance and strategies to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and environmental impacts
- Stimulate greater productivity and product quality through new insights and technologies
- Enhance animal welfare and respond to diseases
- Advance the fight against antimicrobial resistance
- Enhance the competitiveness of Canadian pork producers and processors
“With this funding, we’re making sure our pork producers have the tools they need to continue to be leaders in the agriculture sector,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This will create opportunities for innovation so we can meet the growing global demand for our world-renowned Canadian pork.”
SIP has successfully delivered the three previous Swine Clusters. Successes of the previous Clusters include feeding strategies to increase productivity, decreased antibiotic use and improved pork quality, new methods to advance biosecurity within the Canadian swine transport industry, and a tool to classify Canadian pork based on quality attributes.
In addition to the Swine Cluster, National Revenue Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau also announced CA$1 million through the Greening Government Fund (GGF) to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to replace the ventilation system and controls at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre’s swine barn with heat recovery fans capable of higher efficiency.
“Focusing on research in the pork industry will enable our producers and processors across the country to improve productivity and quality,” Bibeau said. “The investment announced today will ensure the sector’s competitiveness and the industry’s sustained growth, both nationally and internationally.”
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat provides funding for projects under the GGF, a component of the Greening Government Strategy, which outlines targets to reduce the GHG emissions from federal operations. AAFC has also received CA$835,000 from the GGF to replace the current oil-based heating system in the Normandin Research Farm’s main building with a pellet biomass heating system to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
