Alberta Livestock Expo
The fourth Alberta Livestock Expo will take place at Exhibition Park in Lethbridge October 7 & 8. Where Livestock Producers and Suppliers MEAT.
Expanded trade show floor, dinner banquet, Pork Quality Competition, daily Alberta made door prizes plus much much more. Check the website for complete details. albertalivestockexpo.com or contact us at katie@albertalivestockexpo.com or call 431.337.8726. Registration now open.
Statement on COVID-19:
At this time, we are optimistic that the 2020 Alberta Livestock Expo will proceed as planned for October 7th and 8th, 2020.
If, by September 15th, 2020, it is expected that mass gatherings will continue to be restricted by Alberta Health Services, we will cancel the 2020 Expo and full refunds will be issued to exhibitors and sponsors. •

Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop
Mark your calendars for the annual Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop, which will take place Wednesday October 21st.
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 2021 Banff Pork Seminar, January 5-7; you’ll be recognized by your peers and the pork industry and have a chance to present your solution at the 2021 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, 2020. Apply today! Please contact Conference Coordinator Ashely Steele at
pork@ualberta.ca with questions. •

Saskatchewan Pork Symposium
Saskatchewan Industry Pork Symposium will be held in Saskatoon November 3 & 4.
At this point plans are in full swing securing speakers for this falls Symposium, also virtual options in case restrictions are still in place for mass gatherings.
Watch future issues for more details and information. •

Prairie Livestock Expo
The Victoria Inn and Conference Centre will be host for the Prairie Livestock Expo Wednesday December 9th
Initial planning has begun for the show, and the committee at this point is moving forward. Should mass gatherings not be able to be held and show has to be cancelled alternate plans will be confirmed.
Watch future issues for more details and information. •

Banff Pork Seminar
Banff Pork Seminar will take place at the Banff Springs Hotel January 5th – 7th , 2021
The committee is already working hard on planning the next instalment at the Castle in the Rockies, or other possible options.
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 •

Manitoba Swine Seminar
Mark your calendars for Manitoba Swine Seminar, which will take place February 3rd & 4th, 2021 in Winnipeg at the Victoria Inn and Conference Centre. •

Cramer Ag Expo
Keep Thursday February 11th, 2021 open for the annual Cramer Expo in Swift Current, SK.•

Federal Commitment Not Enough to Help Canadian Pork
Producers
Although any help from the federal government to support the food sector weather the storm brought on by COVID-19 is welcomed, Canadian pork producers and their families remain at risk given the very limited support outlined in the May 5th announcement. The funds promised by the Government of Canada simply do not address the problems producers are facing.
Industry experts have estimated that the pork producers will lose $675 million in 2020. For weeks now, producers have been expressing the critical need for support. We specifically asked for $20/hog to feed the animals, keep the lights on and ensure consumers have ready access to wholesome Canadian pork products. “For the past 5 years we have heard from our government that they want to help us to grow our sector, yet when our house is burning, they are offering us a glass of water to save it” illustrates Rick Bergmann, Canadian Pork Council (CPC) Chair.
Producers have been deeply affected by the sharp decline in hog prices and the reduced capacity of processing facilities to accept their animals. “We want to be able to continue producing food. Providing us with band-aid solutions will only relieve the immediate pressure, but doesn’t solve producers’ liquidity problem” explains René Roy, CPC 1st Vice-Chair.
The sector is critical to Canada’s food security, an important employer and a significant industry that will be instrumental to restarting the economy. “We are thankful for the Minister’s continued advocacy for our sector, but Canadian pork farm families are in danger. Should they fail, food insecurity will increase as supplies tighten and food gets more expensive,” concludes Mr. Bergmann. •

Exploring the Connection Between Mental Health and Farm Business
Management
A New report reveals 88% of farmers say following a written business plan has contributed to their peace of mind.
Over the past year, Farm Management Canada has been working with Wilton Consulting Group on ground-breaking research that seeks to explore the connection between Mental Health and Farm Business Management. The findings from this research reveal a positive correlation between mental health and farm business management and inform recommendations to support farm business management activities that positively influence farmer mental health as well as mental health supports that positively influence farm business management activities.
Stress is the personal, emotional response to external factors, or stressors. When stressed, farmers reported several changes in behaviour to try and cope with stress. Most farmers reported undesirable coping mechanisms that may contribute to poor mental health including working more hours and losing sleep, attending social or family gatherings less, and feeling less in control of their emotions. However, some farmers reported more frequent management behaviours like focusing more on financial numbers and assessing or planning for alternative outcomes when stressed.
Employing business management practices can help farmers get through tough times such as market crashes or crop failures. Among farmers who use written business plans, 88% claim that it has contributed to peace of mind. Outcomes of the project reaffirm findings of other recent research and add new insights into the ways that farm business management can be supported in ways that contribute to farmer mental health.
There is an opportunity to enhance education around the benefits of business planning with a focus on mitigating risk. Further, building support teams to help provide advice can alleviate some of the burdens of decision-making. When difficulties arise, it helps to know that a team of peers, family members and/or advisors has thought through different challenges and weighed in on a course of action. Further education and re-positioning the concept of the farm business plan and farm business team can help farmers see business management and planning as both a way to prepare for uncertain times and a source of guidance when facing difficult circumstances.
The report concludes with four themes that capture how Farm Management Canada and the agricultural industry at large can better support farmer mental health in Canada:
1.Continue raising awareness around stresses and the impact of mental health for farmers
Support mental health literacy for farmers and those supporting farmers
Deliver business management advice, tools and training that focuses on risk management and preparedness as a means of facing uncertainty.
Advocate for farmer-specific mental health support services.
24 distinct recommendations are explained further within the Full Report. These research findings are critical for informing government policy, resource allocation, and business management and mental health service providers in supporting healthy farmers and healthy farm businesses for a prosperous and sustainable agricultural sector.
The project commenced in spring 2019 with an environmental scan that included a literature review and scoping of existing programs and resources that support farmer mental health. An Advisory Committee made up of diverse agricultural and mental health industry professionals was formed to guide the direction of the research.
This report is based on a comprehensive, national study that includes a survey of 1,735 farmers, 14 focus groups and 72 one-on-one interviews with farmers and industry representatives. The survey made use of Farm Credit Canada’s (FCC) Vision Panel through a unique partnership between the research team, Farm Management Canada, and FCC.

Primary research took place between October 2019 and March 2020.
To read the Full Report, visit our website at www.fmc-gac.com/healthymindshealthyfarms •

Hog Viruses Survive Travel
Viruses that infect pigs can survive in feed for trips of 6,000 miles, researchers at Dr. Scott Dee’s Pipestone Applied Research have found.
They knew viruses could survive in feeds ingredients from lab tests they ran, so for this experiment they spiked 30-gram vials of feed with several swine disease viruses and then drove them around the United States.
At the end of the trip the viruses were still potent. They were porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV), Senecavirus A (SVA), and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDV).
It is known that PED came to Ontario in 2014 in feed ingredient used by Grand Valley Fortifiers of Cambridge.
Dee’s research team recovered the viruses from all five of the tested feed ingredients, but found that survival was limited in the vitamins and amino acid ingredients.
The 21-day trip went from Minneapolis to Colorado, to Texas, through the South, up the Atlantic coast and back to Minneapolis.
Now the team intends to repeat the trial in November, but in one-ton totes.
“We wanted to expose the viruses to as many environments as possible in the continental U.S.,” Dee explained in a Swine Health Information Center release. “This was like an actual commercial journey.” •
— By Jim Romahn

Selling Hogs to Small Producers
In recent weeks Sask Pork and other provincial pork organizations have received calls from small producers interested in purchasing animals. The COVID-19 crisis and meat supply concerns have people wanting to raise hogs to ensure they have a supply of pork on hand.
If you are contacted and wish to sell animals to people who may have limited knowledge and understanding of hog production, we encourage you to take steps to raise awareness on how to care for the animals, the steps involved in processing and the importance of biosecurity and traceability to reduce disease risk.
Sask Pork has produced a Guide to Small Scale Pork Production which is available online. At this link you will also find additional resources specifically for small scale farms relating to African Swine Fever and farm biosecurity. If you would like printed copies of the guide please contact info@saskpork.com.
Before selling any pigs, we recommend that you ensure the buyer:
• Has a valid premise ID and PigTrace registration.
Contact Ravneet Kaur at rkaur@saskpork.com
•Has secured processing space at a provincially inspected abattoir given there
may be insufficient processing capacity at smaller processing facilities.
• Is aware of the risks of disease and agrees to follow established regulations for not feeding table or restaurant scraps that may have come in contact with meat products.
•Has secured housing for animals, and is aware of the risk escaped pigs can present to the industry. •
— Sask Pork

Strep Suis Re-emerges as
Threat to Pigs
Strep Suis is emerging again as a serious threat to pigs, raising questions about whether there are new strains at large.
Dr. Connie Gebhart, a professor in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Minnesota, heads a team that is delving into genetic codes to determine exactly what’s going on.
“When we dug into Strep suis a little deeper, we found that even though it’s been around for a long time, there hasn’t been a lot of research on it in the United States in the last 10 years.
“It’s been increasing in prevalence and in persistence, and seems to be affecting even pre-wean pigs,” Gebhart said.
“Veterinarians are having a harder time controlling it…and now it’s emerging as one of the top 10 bacterial diseases of concern in the U.S.”
“It’s not going to be a simple answer,” Gebhart said. “I think the pig might be changing, or the pig’s immune response might be changing.
“It could be the environment or the way we’re raising pigs. It could be the bacterium itself that is becoming more virulent. My area of research is to look at the bacterium first.” •
— By Jim Romahn

British ASF Vaccine Said to Protect
100% of Pigs
UK scientists have got a step closer to developing a vital vaccine for African Swine Fever (ASF). In a recent trial, 100% of pigs immunised with the new vaccine survived a lethal dose of ASF virus.
The research, carried out by scientists from The Pirbright Institute in the UK, was published in the peer reviewed journal Vaccines. According to a news release shared by the institute, the team developed a vectored vaccine, which uses a non-harmful virus (the vector) to deliver 8 strategically selected genes from the ASF virus (ASFv) genome into pig cells.
Once inside the cell, the genes produce viral proteins which primes the pig immune cells to respond to an ASF infection. All pigs that were immunised with the vaccine were protected from severe disease after challenge with an otherwise fatal strain of ASFv, although some clinical signs of disease did develop.
Vectored vaccine against ASF

In the news release, Dr Chris Netherton, head of Pirbright’s ASF vaccinology group, said: “It is very encouraging to see that the genes we have selected are able to protect pigs against ASF. Although the pigs showed clinical signs of infection after challenge with the virus, our study has shown for the 1st time that a vectored vaccine against ASF is a realistic possibility.”
This type of vaccine will also enable the differentiation of infected animals from those that have received a vaccine. According to the institute, that is an important feature, as it would allow vaccination programmes to be established without sacrificing the ability to trade.
The research paper stated that the data provide the basis for the further development of a subunit vaccine against ASF. Dr Netherton said, “Our next step will be to uncover the mechanisms behind how the proteins produced by the virus genes stimulate the immune system so we can refine and add to those included in the vaccine to improve effectiveness.”
Encouraging breakthrough against ASF
Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s chief veterinary officer, said in the news release: “This is a very encouraging breakthrough and it means we are one step closer to safeguarding the health of our pigs and the wider industry’s role in global food supply from African Swine Fever. While there has never been an outbreak of African Swine Fever in the UK, we are not complacent and already have robust measures in place to protect against animal disease outbreaks.”
Hopeful sounds with regard to ASF vaccine
The breakthrough is the 3rd time in a few months that positive news can be reported about the race to control ASF virus. In December 2019 researchers at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) announced they created a vaccine that could deliver sterile immunity against ASF.
In March 2020, Chinese researchers at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute communicated that they had developed a vaccine having deleted 7 gene segments from the virus to achieve that.
The original UK research paper in Vaccines was authored by Lynnette C. Goatley, Ana Luisa Reis, Raquel Portugal, Hannah Goldswain, Gareth L. Shimmon, Zoe Hargreaves, María Montoya, Pedro J. Sánchez-Cordón, Geraldine Taylor, Linda K. Dixon and Christopher L. Netherton, all attached to The Pirbright Institute. Chak-Sum Ho is connected to the Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, Ithasca, IL, USA. •
— Pig Progress

More Aid for Agriculture in U.S.
There is more federal money about to flow out to the United States agriculture industry, adding to $5.5 billion already offered to those coping with COVID-19 issues.
This time will be part of a $3 trillion-dollar package politicians are pondering in Washington.
There are proposals to help euthanize hogs and chicken and to set up and run labs.
The National Pork Producers Council says one million hogs may need to be euthanized because packing plants can’t handle all of the market-ready hogs. •
— By Jim Romahn

PEDv: Now is the Time to Ramp up Biosecurity
As reported in Chop Talk recently.
May and June in Manitoba have historically been when most PED cases have been found. Manitoba Pork encourages all producers to step up their biosecurity now! In particular, be sure to:
•Always practice Danish Entry protocols
•Shower in/shower out whenever possible
•Consider dust control options
•Park away from the barn
•Limit on-farm access to necessary
personnel only
•Take precautions during manure agitation and application
Consult your herd veterinarian and visit Manitoba Pork’s biosecurity webpage for other ideas on where improvements can be made in your operations.
Registered producers can log in to the Manitoba Coordinated Disease Response (MCDR) to access more detailed information on PED-affected premises, including status, location and manure application.
To register for the password protected MCDR, or for any other swine health concerns, contact Jenelle Hamblin, Manitoba Pork’s Manager of Swine Health Programs, at jhamblin@manitobapork.com or 204.235.4442. •

More Subsidy to Hire Youth
The federal government is offering another $9.2 million for farmers to hire workers between ages 15 and 30.
It comes under the Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) and is enough money for up to 700 new positions for the agriculture industry.
Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said “this program aims to provide youth, and particularly youth facing barriers to employment, with job experience in agriculture that will provide career-related work experience.”
It’s a 50 per cent wage subsidy up to $14,000 per worker.
Indigenous applicants and those applicants hiring a youth facing barriers are eligible for funding of up to 80 per cent of their costs.
The program is open to producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and research facilities.
It can be retroactive to April 1 and for projects that last to March 31 next year.
Application forms are available through the Youth Employment and Skills Program More information is available to
aafc.yesp-pecj.aac@canada.ca, or by telephoning 1.866.452.5558. •
— By Jim Romahn