An independent economic analysis shows swine cluster research boosts productivity in the Canadian pork sector. 
An assessment on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc looked at the impact of swine cluster research as a driver for growth in the Canadian pork sector and the broader economy. The assessment found the research resulted in a three-and-a-half percent improvement in the sector’s productivity. 
SIP general manager Daniel Ramage said the impact assessment makes a clear case for investing in research. The headline is that cluster research boosts productivity in the Canadian pork sector by three and a half per cent. 
“Productivity is important in agriculture and the pork industry because we depend on productivity growth, things that will drive new knowledge and improvements, better ways of doing things.” 
For example, research that helps reduce feeding costs or better biosecurity protocols that reduce on-farm losses. Those are the types of things that support producer productivity and competitiveness. 
“Think about it, three and a half percent boost to productivity is an important outcome.” 
Rampage said the economic benefits of this research go beyond pork producers and processors and that it’s important for the government to know when investing in research. The message is that Canada is better off because a more productive pork sector supports higher income and new jobs and investment. 
He said the role of SIP is to lead research on behalf of the Canadian Pork Value Chain and work with partners across industry, universities, and government to make that research happen. That includes Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriScience Cluster Program supported by provincial pork organizations. The research targets are set through a priority-setting process, bringing the whole value chain together.  
The process ensures the research focuses on the industry’s most strategic areas for the pork sector ranging from animal health and biosecurity, feed and nutrition, pork quality, food safety, and animal care. In addition, climate change and the environment have become big priorities with more consumer interest and a regulatory spotlight. 
“To date, we’ve managed over 51 projects with research enabled by industry and government and valued at over $50 million invested since 2010. Including large-scale projects that intuitively cut across all the priorities and by closely following this research with big impact.” 
The analysis used surveys and consulting with producers to understand knowledge transfer. A review estimated the knowledge generated through research investments in the sector. The group used that information to support economic modelling to pinpoint the productivity impacts and the broader economic impacts on things like jobs and GDP.  
Ramage said that the impact study found that the Canadian GDP gets a new dollar for each dollar spent on cluster research, resulting in solid contributions to economic growth. •
— By Harry Siemens