At the end of January the CEO of Prairie Swine Centre, Murray Pettitt announced a five-year $1.9 million contribution to Prairie Swine Centre from Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF).
The Agriculture Development Fund has supported base funding at Prairie Swine Centre since 1996, and with this agreement will continue to be a strategic partner through 2026. This support, in addition to that from provincial pork organizations and the University of Saskatchewan, provides core funding to the Centre’s research, knowledge transfer and management programs.
According to Dr. Pettitt “This funding will continue to create future opportunities for growth and to enhance the competitive position and sustainability of pork producers, and the pork value chain throughout Saskatchewan and Canada.” This funding will ensure the Centre will continue to deliver relevant and novel research results from our Nutrition, Engineering, Ethology and Knowledge Transfer programs. “Over the past 15 years, our research programs have contributed an average return on investment over $4 per pig/year to the Saskatchewan industry, and the funds received from the Agriculture Development Fund enable Prairie Swine Centre to attract additional research funding for the benefit of the industry”.
“The Centre has and will continue to play an important role in the Saskatchewan pork industry” according to Prairie Swine Centre Chair, Don Down, “their research and knowledge transfer programs are highly respected throughout Canada and world.
This research will directly impact pork producers in addition to other agricultural sectors throughout the Province.” Recent projects at the Centre have focused on relevant topics such as group sow housing, examining the impact of feeding diets to support and enhance the immune system of pigs, in addition to developing novel transportation methods that enhance biosecurity.
The Centre continues to seek industry input in its research programs through their strategic planning process, ensuring relevant and timely research results reach producers throughout the industry. •