National hog research firm gets $10.6 million in federal funds

Research to include new vaccines, antimicrobial alternatives, feed strategies, and genetics

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Published: February 20, 2024

Photo: Kkolosov/iStock/Getty Images

The federal government has pledged up to $10.6 million for hog sector research, it said in an announcement today.

“Through this substantial investment, [Swine Innovation Porc] and our partners can spearhead the research needed to deliver science-based solutions for the benefit of Canadian pork producers, processors, and exporters,” said Arno Schober, Swine Innovation Porc’s chair.

Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) is a research and development non-profit with members including Canadian Pork Council and provincial hog groups.

This is the fourth hog research “cluster” funded through the AgriScience Program – Clusters Component, part of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a Feb. 20 federal news release said. SIP also coordinated the previous three clusters.

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In a news release, SIP said that it would spend up to $20.1 million in combined government and industry funding over the next five years on the sector’s research priorities. These include climate change and the environment, sector resilience, economic growth, and communication and knowledge transfer, the SIP news release said.

Research topics include new vaccines, antimicrobial alternatives, feed strategies, and genetics.

Previous cluster research turned up feeding strategies to increase productivity, new biosecurity methods in transport, a tool to classify pork, and ways to decrease antibiotic use and increase pork quality, the federal release said.

About the author

Geralyn Wichers

Geralyn Wichers

Digital editor, news and national affairs

Geralyn graduated from Red River College's Creative Communications program in 2019 and launched directly into agricultural journalism with the Manitoba Co-operator. Her enterprising, colourful reporting has earned awards such as the Dick Beamish award for current affairs feature writing and a Canadian Online Publishing Award, and in 2023 she represented Canada in the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists' Alltech Young Leaders Program. Geralyn is a co-host of the Armchair Anabaptist podcast, cat lover, and thrift store connoisseur.

 

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