Canadian pork associations unite to fund research program

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  Andrea Gantz

  Seven Canadian provincial pork organizations have agreed to collectively fund a Swine Innovation Porc research program.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Seven provincial pork associations across Canada have signed a memorandum of understanding to financially support Swine Innovation Porc’s (SIP) Swine Cluster 2 research program.
  The associations signing the memorandum representing a $2.5 million financial commitment include: Alberta Pork, Les Éleveurs de porcs du Québec, Manitoba Pork, New Brunswick Pork, Ontario Pork, PEI Pork and Sask Pork.
  This funding signifies a national and collaborative approach in supporting research activities for the Canadian swine sector. In addition, it will give SIP the financial flexibility to quickly respond to emerging issues that directly affect swine producers in Canada, such as the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus concern. It will also be used in activities related to the transfer of technical knowledge, so that innovative technologies will reach pork producers at the farm level.
  At the beginning of 2014, SIP was granted $13 million in funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) as well as a considerable contribution from industry partners. This additional amount from the provincial pork associations provides SIP with an overall budget of $17.3 million for the Swine Cluster 2 research program.
   “This added financial support from the provincial associations will further the corporation’s ability to achieve its objectives as outlined in our mission statement. SIP is committed to provide national leadership in coordinating and facilitating research, knowledge transfer and commercialization initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of the Canadian swine industry,” said Stewart Cressman, Chair of SIP.
  SIP is a corporation of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), which shares SIP’s vision to help producers.