Alberta Pork Congress
The 45th annual Alberta Pork Congress will be held in Westerner Park in Red Deer June 12th & 13th.
As of press time the trade show booth space is 100% sold out, more details are available at at albertaporkcongress.com.
Join fellow exhibitors for the Swine & Cheese held onsite at Westerner Park after set up Tuesday June 11th from 5 – 7.
Trade show floor will be open Wednesday June 12th from 9 – 4:30 and Thursday 9 – 3. Once again a onsite lunch buffet will be served, contact the office to preorder your tickets.
The annual awards banquet will take place Wednesday evening from 5:30 at the Holiday Inn on Gasoline Alley.
New this year Alberta Pork Congress is hosting the 1st Annual BBQ Rib Contest Thursday June 13th, 2019. This year Alberta Pork Congress challenges the pork industry to compete in the 1st Annual BBQ Rib Contest! Are you the go to BBQ hot shot at your company? Want more bragging rights? Join us and showcase your best recipe and technique! Each team will be provided the basic equipment and ribs, samples will be provided to the judging panel and a winner crowned onsite! Tasting tickets will be available for purchase by Congress attendees and they will crown the Fan Favourite!
Whether a participant or spectator, this contest will be fun and entertaining for everyone! Music, food and networking….and hopefully sunshine!
Should you have any questions or to order your BBQ, lunch and banquet tickets or reserve your booth please contact the Kate or Kyla in the office at 403.244.7821 or email
kate@albertaporkcongress.com or
kyla@albertaporkcongress.com •

Porkapalooza
The 6th annual Porkapalooza BBQ Festival will once again be hosted and organized by Alberta Pork. Located at Northlands Park in Edmonton June 15th & 16th.
Porkapalooza includes a World class cooking competition, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS).
The Porkapalooza BBQ Festival , a Big Meat Up, is a community event showcasing the art and culture of BBQ. It is organized by the Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Society with generous financial support from Alberta Pork and other sponsors. At its heart, it is a BBQ competition, but it encompasses all the components of a festival: local food trucks, beer gardens, food demonstration stage, a Kids Zone playground and plenty of entertainment.
Organizers are hoping to reach 75 teams this year to achieve the biggest BBQ festival outside the US.
The BBQ festival charity society in the past has supported local charites Ronald Mcdonald’s House, Youth Empowerment & Support Services and AdaptAbilities.
Check out their website for more details
porkapalooza.ca for more details. •

Ontario Pork Congress
The annual Ontario Pork Congress will be held in Stratford June 19th & 20th
Details available on their website at
porkcongress.on.ca •

Alberta Livestock Expo
The third annual Alberta Livestock Expo will take place at Exhibition Park in Lethbridge October 9 & 10.
This year the trade show has a expanded floor plan. In addition to trade show on Wednesday October 9th there will be a Pork Rib BBQ Competition. Then on Thursday October 10th a Hog Carcass Competition.
Online bookings have begun for the 2 day show in October, book before June 30th to ensure the early bird booking price.
Full details are available on the website
albertalivestockexpo.com or by contacting Lisa Doyle Exhibition Manager at 403.305.1563 or at
lisa@vibrabteventmanagement.ca •

Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop
The annual Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop will be held in Red Deer Wednesday October 23rd returning to the Parkland Pavillion at Westerner Park.
The committee is finalizing the agenda and more details will be available for August edition.
Registration will open soon in the mean time should you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact Charlotte Shipp at 780.491.3528 or
charlotte.shipp@albertapork.com . •

Aherne Awards
Do you know of an innovator who should be recognized? Someone who has developed an original solution to answer a pork production challenge? Or found a creative use of a known technology?
The Banff Pork Seminar is proud to offer a chance for you to “strut your stuff” as a technology innovator and show the rest of us how to put it into practice!
The Dr. FX Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production recognizes innovators involved in the pork industry who are making a difference by applying new technologies or management techniques.
Innovators can win valuable prizes and free registration to the 2020 Banff Pork Seminar, January 7-9; you’ll be recognized by your peers and the pork industry and have a chance to present your solution at the 2020 Banff Pork Seminar.
Please nominate yourself, or apply on behalf of an innovator that deserves to be recognized. Help us to find these innovators and encourage them to apply for the Dr. FX Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production.
Specifically, we are looking for innovators who are capable of taking a new research concept, a technology, or even a management concept and apply it successfully in the production of pork. Innovations may be related to, but are not limited to, one of the following areas: Productivity, Profitability, Working Conditions, Animal Well Being, Reduced Environmental Impact, Pork Quality and Safety.
Anyone who has developed a solution to a pork production challenge may enter. Innovations must be relevant to North American pork production but do not necessarily have to be currently in use in Canada at the time of application.
Application and more information will be available online at www.banffpork.ca. Applications must be received by October 31, 2019. Apply today! Please contact Conference Coordinator Ashely Steele at
pork@ualberta.ca with questions. •

Sask Pork Symposium
Although November seems like a long time away, schedules fill up and time flies by. Mark November 12 & 13 on your calendars for annual event. •

Alberta Pork AGM
Mark your calendars for the Alberta Pork 50th anniversary AGM November 21st, taking place in Calgary. Location and more details in future issues. •

Brandon Hog & Livestock Expo
The Brandon Hog & Livestock Expo will be held at Keystone Centre Wednesday December 11th.
The one day show will take place from 10 – 4, featuring the Pork Quality Competition to wrap up the day.
Details and exhibitors packages will be available soon. •

Banff Pork Seminar
Banff Pork Seminar will take place at the Banff Springs Hotel January 7th – 9th , 2020
The committee is already working hard on planning the next instalment at the Castle in the Rockies.
Watch for future issues for further information. Online registration will start in September.
For more information contact Ashley Steeple, Conference Coordinator, PH: 780.492.3651 or
Email: pork@ualberta.ca •

Cramer Ag Expo
Keep Thursday February 13th, 2020 open for the annual Cramer Expo in Swift Current, SK.•

Spanish Team Finds ASF Vaccine
Researchers from the University of Madrid and the Spanish National Institute of Agricultural and Food Technology’s Animal Health Research Centre (CISA) have developed a vaccine they say is 98 per cent effective against one strain of African Swine Fever.
They tested it on wild boar and on crosses with commercial-farm hogs.
Meanwhile, the University of Saskatchewan said the first-ever published survey of the wild pig distribution in Canada has found a rapid expansion in the invasive species’ range, which is increasing by nine per cent a year.
“Wild pigs are ecological train wrecks. They are prolific breeders making them an extremely successful invasive species,” said Ruth Aschim, a doctoral student who led the research published in Nature Scientific Reports.
“Wild pigs can cause soil erosion, degrade water quality, destroy crops, and prey on small mammals, amphibians and birds.” •
— By Jim Romahn

Blood a Potent Source of African Swine Fever
One molecule is enough to trigger African Swine Fever, and there can be up to 50 million in one drop of blood from a highly-infected pig, Chinese officials have found.
It’s why they banned the use of pig blood in rations as they tried to get control of the disease that has claimed about seven per cent of the country’s pigs and sent pork prices soaring.
But then some packing houses dumped blood into sewers and it contaminated the environment, possibly infecting the wild boar population.
Now China is again allowing blood to be marketed, but only after it has been heated sufficiently to kill the virus.
Another measure comes into effect in mid-May, requiring all pork packers to pick a representative sample from each farm supplier to test for the disease.
This must be done under third-party supervision and a veterinarian. It could force many small-scale, low-income packers to close because they can’t afford it.
It would be better to conduct the tests on farms, keeping it out of slaughterhouses that, if they become contaminated, are a source for people and vehicles to carry it back to farms.
However, testing pigs on 25 million hog-producing farms is deemed too difficult and expensive.
Studies of 68 outbreaks showed that almost half were caused by the spread of virus material on vehicles and on non-disinfected workers; a third were caused by feeding pigs contaminated swill or food scraps; and 19 per cent were due to the transportation of infected pigs and meat products across regions. •
— By Jim Romahn

Canadian Pig Transport Examined
An international team that examined pig transport in Canada has found that death rates are lower for longer hauls rather than short ones.
That’s probably not what most people would guess, but the researchers say that the pigs tend to settle in and ride relatively smoothly to destinations.
They found that there is a temptation to put too many pigs on a load, which they say is understandable given the desire to keep costs down and to accomplish deliveries with one load rather than two.
The review was conducted by Fiona C. Rioja-Lang of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Jennifer A. Brown of the Prairie Swine Centre are Saskatoon, and the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Egan J. Brockhoff of Prairie Swine Health Services at Red Deer, Alta. and Luigi Faucinato of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Sherbrooke, Que. •
— By Jim Romahn

Hold Imported Feed Longer, say U.S. Pork Leaders
Leaders in the U.S. pork industry are recommending and imported feed ingredients be held out of the market longer than the current minimum standards to ensure that dangerous infectious diseases die.
Based on new research, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), the National Pork Board, the National Pork Producers Council and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians have revised the information for feed holding times.
The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), the public charity of the American Feed Industry Association, helped fund the research that resulted in the updated recommendations.
The studies looked at Seneca virus which is believed to be the longest-surviving virus in feedstuffs, but the main concern is African Swine Fever (ASF).
“The science on viral transmission through feed and feedstuffs is still relatively young, but it has yielded some interesting and potentially useful information on mitigating the spread of costly viruses, such as ASF,” said veterinarian Paul Sundberg, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center.
“This includes recognition that not all imported feedstuffs are manufactured and handled in the same way. It’s important to know whether ingredients are produced under biosecure conditions and how they were shipped,” he said. •
— By Jim Romahn

Feds Give Pork Industry $6 Million
The investment was made under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
More than $3.8 million comes via AgriAssurance to help launch on-farm programs for food safety, traceability and animal care and to ensure compliance for the PigTrace program.
Another $1.2 million comes from the AgriMarketing fund to help promote and expand markets for Canadian pork.
The third part, $1.1 million, comes from AgriScience and aims to help producers increase production with efficient feeding strategies.
Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said “the Canadian Pork Industry has been instrumental in establishing consumer trust in Canadian pork and helping expand markets at home and abroad.
“Our Government is committed to working with industry to build a stronger and more innovative pork sector, while improving competitiveness and fostering continued economic growth for our middle-class.”
Rick Bergmann, chairman of the Canadian Pork Council, said “the projects announced recently further strengthen the Canadian Pork Excellence platform and contribute to growing the Canadian economy.
“Canadian pork producers take great pride in producing the nutritious, high quality pork that is in high demand in markets around the world.
“Our on-farm food safety and animal care programs enable producers to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable pork production.” •
— By Jim Romahn

Zoning for African Swine Fever
If African Swine Fever breaks out on a hog farm in Canada or the United States, rather than outright trade bans the two have agreed to divide their nations into zones.
The United States Department of Agriculture and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced their deal this week.
They are changing their export certificates to allow trade of live swine, swine semen, pet food and animal by-products and meat to continue in approved disease-free zones in the event of an ASF outbreak, the chief veterinary officers for both nations said in a joint statement.
The agreement builds on zoning arrangements entered into by CFIA and USDA last August that established principles for zoning and trade.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation this week said the Chinese retail pork market appears to have stabilized for the time being, with meat cases stocked and price increases muted, despite estimates that China has lost more than 20 per cent of its hog herd to ASF.
Reuters said China has reported more than 120 outbreaks of the disease in all of its mainland provinces and regions, as well as Hainan island and Hong Kong, since it was first detected in the country in early August. • — By Jim Romahn

A Rack of Straw Works Pig Wonders
A rack of straw can improve pigs’ contentment, welfare, economic performance and pork quality, according to research in Spain recently published in the scientific journal Animal.

The researchers also compared other popular stress relievers, such as hanging chains. logs and paper.
They found that straw was by far the best. Pigs could pick the straw out of a rack.
The researchers studied 96 male pigs, six per pen, ranging in age from 70 to 170 days old. •
— By Jim Romahn

CAFTA Attends Leader Luncheon Highlighting Canada-Japan Ties
CAFTA was among those invited to attend an exclusive luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Trudeau in honour of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Canada back in April. CAFTA was represented at the event by its Executive Director Claire Citeau.
Both leaders praised the ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and spoke of the need to preserve a robust and rules-based global trading system.
Prime Minister Abe noted the CPTPP now allows Japanese consumers to benefit from “high-quality Canadian products in Japan,” and “[a]s such we are happy to see the development of our bilateral relationship as well as partnership in various areas, including economic co-operation…”
Japan is currently the third largest agri-food market for Canadian exporters and the largest and most important in the CPTPP. Canada and Japan, along with Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, and Singapore, were among the first six countries to ratify the agreement.
Canadian Agri-Food Exports Soar to Record Levels in 2018
New data show that Canada’s total agri-food exports reached a record high $59.3 billion last year, a nearly 3 per cent gain over 2017 figures. The gains are being fueled by ever-increasing global demand for world-class Canadian products including in key markets such as the United States (a 3.5 per cent increase) and in China (a whopping 32 per cent increase).
Including the European Union (as a single market of 28-countries), Canada’s top export markets for agri-food products are:
 United States ($31.1 billion)
 China ($9.3 billion)
 Japan ($4.3 billion)
 European Union ($2.6 billion)
 Mexico ($1.9 billion)
 Indonesia ($744 million)
Leading exports include canola seeds ($5.7 billion), Red spring wheat ($3.7 billion), bread, pastry, cakes and similar baked products ($2.3 billion), refined canola oil ($1.8 billion), and soy beans ($1.7 billion).
It’s important to note that Canada’s trade diversification agenda continues to be led by agri-food exporters. In the 4 months since the CPTPP entered into force, exports to Japan alone and across the wider CPTPP region are up by 13.5 per cent and 12.7 per cent respectively.
Specific agri-food products leading the charge include oilseed products ($363 million), grain products ($318 million), wheat ($278 million), pork ($263 million), beef ($66 million), pulses ($28 million) and sugar containing products ($9.5 million). CAFTA will continue to closely monitor exports to the CPTPP region. •

Canada’s WTO Reform Efforts Support Predictable Trade
Brian Innes, President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) recently issued the following statement regarding Canada’s role in modernizing the World Trade Organization during meetings on the margins of OECD discussions recently in Paris.
“On behalf of our members, we are pleased to see Minister Carr leading important discussions to maintain and modernize our multilateral trading system. It’s critical to Canada’s agri-food sector that we maintain rules-based trade.
“Now more than ever, Canadian agri-food exporters need rules-based trade. We need predictability and certainty back in the global trading system.
“We strongly believe the WTO remains the best forum for creating a trading system that’s fair to all. The WTO has been effective for addressing trade disputes such as Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) and is the only forum to effectively address agricultural domestic subsidies.
In particular, CAFTA supports Canada’s leadership in advancing specific reforms including:
· Reforming the dispute resolution processes to ensure ongoing functionality;
· Restructuring the overall governance of the WTO; and
· Revitalizing the multi-lateral negotiation process.
“As a sector that has a strong interest in the WTO being effective, we share concerns that governance disputes and blocking the appointment of Appellate Judges puts the entire WTO dispute resolution process at risk. It will reach a crisis point if not resolved in the next few months.
“We are pleased that Canada and the other Ottawa Group countries are leading the effort to keep the world’s trading system fair, predictable and rules-based.” •

Food Safety Violators Face Fines
Food-processing companies, including meat packers, egg graders, poultry processors and produce handlers, now face the possibility of fines for infractions and failures to meet standards.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that “Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) of up to $15,000 can now be issued for violations . . . that threaten food safety and market access for Canadian goods.”
The amendments to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations (AAAMPR) were published recently in Canada Gazette Part II and are now in force. These apply to both businesses and individuals. •
— By Jim Romahn

Investors Jump on Beyond Meat shares
Investors jumped on shares of Beyond Meat when they hit the market Thursday, pushing prices up by 163 per cent, valuing the company at about $3.8 billion US.
The company is famous for making veggie burgers and sells to a number of Canadian retailers such as Burger King, A&W and Loblaws.
Maple Leaf Foods, Canada’s largest meat packer, is trying to catch up with its purchase of a couple of U.S. vegetable-protein companies and a recent announcement that it will invest $310 million in a new facility.
Beyond Meat began trading at $46 and closed at $65.75 Thursday. The shares were priced at $25 late Wednesday, after the company raised the size and target price range for the offering to 9.625 million shares at $23 to $25 each, up from the previously expected 8.75 million shares at $19 to $21 each.
In an interview with Investor’s Business Daily, Beyond Meat executive chairman Seth Goldman said the company is developing products for “every meat occasion,” including steak and bacon substitutes, he said, but those are more challenging to create.
He said those products won’t be available anytime soon. •
— By Jim Romahn

Lucyporc Closing Plant to Join Olymel
Lucyporc is closing its plant that employs about 350 workers and merging operations at Olymel’s plant at Yamachiche, Quebec.
Olymel has spent more than $120 million to modernize its plant over the past two years and will now employ about 1,000 workers.
Lucyporc is a family-owned pork and poultry business that became a partner with Olymel. It is famous for meeting stringent standards to develop export markets and was the first Canadian plant approved to market to the European Union.
It is owned by the Robitaille Group which breeds and produces hogs, develops nutrition and slaughters and processes pork.
Olymel plans to add more than 300 new jobs as it launches a second shift that will increase pork slaughter capacity to 40,000 hogs from 18,000 per week.
About 60 per cent of the processed pork from the Olymel plant will be exported to about 50 countries. •
— By Jim Romahn