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. As of press time booths 75% sold out. 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 Cancelled
Every year, the Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop attracts more than 150 pork producers and farm employees to attend presentations and networking sessions with industry partners.
Swine Tech 2020—what would have been the workshop’s 25th installment—was originally scheduled to take place in late October. Due to the uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic and provincial health restrictions on large gatherings, the organizing committee has made the decision to cancel the in-person portion of this year’s workshop.
“It is with a lot of regret that we have chosen not to move forward with this year’s Swine Tech,” said Alistair Bratton of Olymel, who serves as Chair of the organizing committee. “We are evaluating virtual options for participants, but at the present time, we have no firm plans to continue with the workshop until 2021.”
Alberta Pork, as a founding member and proud supporter of Swine Tech, looks forward to seeing even more attendees, exhibitors and presenters at the workshop in the future. Stay tuned for any further updates to this year’s event and for more information on Swine Tech 2021. •

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 will be recognized by their 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: Production, Transportation, 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 Steeple at pork@ualberta.ca with any questions. •

Saskatchewan Pork Symposium
Goes Virtual
Saskatchewan Industry Pork Symposium is to be held in Saskatoon November 3 & 4.
After much discussion and thought, Sask Pork’s Board of Directors and staff have made the difficult decision to hold Saskatchewan Pork Symposium 2020 as a virtual event. We will make details available on the new format as soon as possible.
We felt it to be the best approach to ensure the health and safety of all production and processing employees and our industry partners.
We fully expect to be holding a live event in 2021! •

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 due to COVID 19 and show has to be cancelled alternate plans will be confirmed this will be announced in the months to come.
Watch future issues for more details and information.

Online registration will open soon at prairielivestockexpo.ca.
For details and information on or about the Pork Quality Competition contact Darren Bates PH: 204.799.8888 or Email:
darren.bates@hendrix-genetics.com
For information on and about the show contact Dallas Balance from GoodwinBallance Communications at 204.475.8585 or email info@prairielivestockexpo.ca •

Banff Pork Seminar
Going Virtual
Banff Pork Seminar 2021 goes virtual, Jan. 5 and Jan. 7
The 2021 Banff Pork Seminar (BPS) will have a different look for its upcoming event. The organizing committee for the Seminar has made the decision that their next conference will be a virtual one.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic our decision to move virtual to help keep our delegates safe was clear,” says Ashley Steeple, Seminar Coordinator. “Our 2021 Seminar will be an online experience. There will be an adjustment in dates to a two day event, held Tuesday Jan. 5 and Thursday January 7, 2021.
“More details are coming in the weeks ahead,” says Steeple. “Program information and registration details will be available by September and registration will open officially in October. We have some innovative ideas for sponsorship, and those details will be announced in September.”
The 2021 Seminar was to be a milestone 50th anniversary one, says Steeple. “However, we will save that official celebration for the next time the Seminar can be held in person at our partner, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
“In keeping with the history of our seminar we have very strong speakers and related activities planned for the virtual event and we are confident this will a rewarding experience for our delegates.”
The Banff Pork Seminar is coordinated by the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, in cooperation with Alberta Pork, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry and other pork industry representatives from across Canada.
More complete details will be available in the Inside BPS Special Report which can be accessed in August by link from the Seminar website www.banffpork.ca. Follow BPS on Twitter @BanffPork.
For more information contact : Ashley Steeple, Banff Pork Seminar, Ph: 780.492.3651 E:pork@ualberta.ca Website: www.banffpork.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.
More information will be available in future editions. •

Cramer Ag Expo
Keep Thursday February 11th, 2021 open for the annual Cramer Expo in Swift Current, SK.
Registration packages will be available early September. For complete details please check out the website
www.cramereventmanagement.com
Please contact Kelly Turcotte trade show co ordinator at 306. 737.6262 or email kelly_turcotte@hotmail.com. For questions about Cramer Cup Series contact Doug Cramer at 306.520.3553 or email
cramerexpomgmt@gmail.com •

Global Approach to African Swine Fever
African Swine Fever needs a global approach to stop its spread, said the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. “Recently, 51 countries are affected by African swine fever. Amid the difficult situation posed by COVID-19, ASF continues to spread, intensifying the current health and socioeconomic crises,” said Dr Matthew Stone, OIE (world animal health organization) Deputy Director General for International Standards and Science.
Many countries that are affected by ASF lack sufficient human, financial or technical resources to rapidly detect, respond and contain animal diseases.
“In this globalized world, where diseases can spread rapidly across borders, timely sharing of latest scientific information, international collaboration and notification of ASF are needed to prevent transboundary spread and minimize impact,” said FAO Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo.
OIE and FAO call on countries and partners to join forces against this deadly pig disease by adopting the new Initiative for the Global Control of ASF
They have asked the world to:
Improve the capability of countries to control (prevent, respond, eradicate) ASF using OIE International Standards and best practices that are based on the latest science.
Establish an effective coordination and cooperation framework for the global control of ASF
Facilitate business continuity ensuring safe production and trade to protect food systems.
Coordinated actions as part of the Global Initiative should take place alongside maintaining transparency regarding reporting of animal diseases and investing in strong and resilient animal health systems, they said. •
— By Jim Romahn

Meat Leads Canadian Industrial Producer Prices Higher in May
Canadian industrial producer prices rose 1.2 per cent in May on higher prices for meat, fish and dairy products, Statistics Canada said in early July, as supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and increased demand boosted meat prices.
The gain in producer prices followed four months of consecutive decreases and matched a flash estimate released by the statistical agency earlier this month. StatsCan said the May increase was driven by higher prices for meat, fish and dairy products as well as gains in energy and petroleum products.

Of the 21 major commodity groups monitored by the agency, six rose, 11 fell, and four were unchanged.
Meat product prices rose 13.3 per cent, led by fresh and frozen pork, which increased a record 31.3 per cent as disruptions in the supply chain from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and higher demand for meat products contributed to the gain.
Earlier this month, StatsCan had said it expected meat prices would rise following outbreaks of COVID-19 in Canadian and U.S. meat plants that forced operations to shut down or reduce capacity.
Meanwhile, prices for energy and petroleum products rose by 4.6 per cent.
In a separate release, the national statistical agency said Canadian building permits rose 20.2 per cent, the largest percentage increase since March 2009, as some provinces eased constraints imposed on the construction industry due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the May figure was still 20.4 per cent below the peak seen in January 2020, StatsCan said.
The value of residential permits was up in six provinces, rising 18.7 per cent, with most of the gains due to a jump in the value of permits in single-family homes, which rose 37.5 per cent. Meanwhile, commercial permits jumped 20.8 per cent. •
— Source Reuters

CanadianGovernment Announces New
Measures to Help Agriculture Sector Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19
The federal government and provincial government of Manitoba have introduced a new programme to help agricultural processors curb the spread of COVID-19
The governments of Canada and Manitoba announced a new $3 million cost-shared Canadian Agricultural Partnership programme to support projects that will help agricultural processors mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen announced today.
The new COVID-19 Response Initiative will provide financial assistance to agri-food and agri-product processors, food distributors and agri-food industry organizations for:
• personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies;
•business continuity practices, training and resources to support COVID-19 mitigation; and
•beginning in September financial assistance will also be available for materials, supplies and equipment rentals needed to adapt production processes to meet social distancing and other precautions related to COVID-19.
Eligible costs must be directly related to the execution of a project, and must be incurred between 1 March 2020 and 31 January 2021. Projects must be completed on or before 31 January 2021. Governments will contribute a maximum of 50 percent of eligible project costs, up to $25,000 per applicant.
Blaine Pedersen, Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister said:
“A COVID-19 response for the agri-food and agri-product sector is needed to ensure processors can adapt, recover and maintain competitiveness. The pandemic has required them to make changes to their operations and enhance their employee protections. Manitoba’s food and agri-product processors are significant contributors to our economy, so we are pleased to offer a program that helps respond to these challenges.”
“Food producers and processors have had to deal with so many new challenges over the past months, while continuing to supply Canadians with the high-quality food they produce. Manitoba processors have stepped up to deal with those challenges, just as Canadians have never been more appreciative of the importance of our food supply chain. The funding our two Governments are delivering together today gives Manitoba processors an extra financial boost to adjust to the challenges presented by COVID-19 and help keep their workers safe,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. •
— The Pig Site

Quebec Company Begins COVID-19
Vaccine Testing
A Quebec company began vaccinating people for COVID-19 protection Monday, the first human vaccine trials in Canada.
More companies are on the verge of beginning human trials for their vaccines, including a couple in Halifax.
The Veterinary Infectious Diseases Organization (VIDO) in Saskatoon said it might be ready as early as October to conduct human trials with its vaccine. VIDO is best known for livestock and poultry vaccines.
Medicago Inc., the Quebec biopharmaceutical company, has shown positive results in animal studies. But this is its first test in humans and it has 180 volunteers lined up for vaccinations.
There are about 180 COVID-19 vaccines in development around the world.
Pfizer is working with a German biotechnology vaccine that it hopes will be ready with about 100 million doses by December.•
— By Jim Romahn

Flu Vaccine
Appears Effective
A swine flu vaccine developed by South West Veterinary Services appears to be working.
It reports that litters born to vaccinated sows had higher average daily gain, lower mortality and fewer clinical signs of disease.
The vaccine combines antibodies against a number of the most common swine influenza strains as identified at the animal health laboratory the Ontario agriculture ministry runs at Guelph.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency granted approval to use the vaccine, beginning last year.
The idea for the vaccine came from Dr. Kevin Valaca who reasoned that the same approach used to develop human flu vaccines incorporating antibodies to a number of strains might work for pigs. •
— By Jim Romahn

Canada’s Agri-Food Exporters Praise
Historic Coming-into-Force of CUSMA
Dan Darling, President of CAFTA, recently issued the following statement to mark the coming-into-force of the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
“On behalf of our members – the hundreds of thousands of farmers, ranchers, food manufacturers and agrifood exporters who rely on trade for their livelihood, we are pleased the successor agreement to NAFTA is now in force. Today is an important day and for all of us to celebrate free and open trade in North America.
“The United States and Mexico are the first and fourth largest export markets for Canadian food and agricultural products. Today we have officially restored stability and predictability to North American trade which is vital for Canadian agri-food exporters that have developed highly integrated supply chains for the past generation across the continent.
“We appreciate the value of tariff free markets across leading sectors of the economy, including manufacturing and of course agriculture and agri-food. We are happy that the CUSMA now in force reduces uncertainty that has clouded North American trade and investment since the NAFTA re-negotiations began in 2017.
“Key benefits the CUSMA brings to our sector include no new tariffs on any agri-food products and enhanced market access in select areas, preservation of highly integrated agri-food supply chains, processes that help remove remaining technical barriers to trade and maintaining dispute resolution provisions that are vital for agri-food exporters.
“Free and predictable trade of agriculture and food across North America has been incredibly successful at providing abundant, safe and high quality food. The CUSMA will help restore competitiveness of the North American free trade platform and enable a globally competitive sector that drives the economy in all three countries.
“We applaud the leadership of Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland and the tireless work of negotiators for modernizing and reaching a comprehensive and high-standard agreement. We look forward to continuing to work with officials on the proper implementation of the agreement to ensure Canadian exporters can realize the full benefits of the CUSMA.
“The current crisis has shown us just how important free and open trade is, and why we need a rules-based global trading system. Today is a strong step forward in showing that continuing to lower trade barriers in all their forms is the best way to secure a meaningful post-pandemic global economic recovery.” •

SIP New
Strategic Plan
Swine Innovation Porc released its new strategic plan entitled “Roadmap to 2023.”
We have been hard at work to ensure our strategic objectives are in line with the swine sector’s needs and realities.
Highlighting a vision and a mission. The vision “Science into Practice,” and the mission, “Provide national leadership in research, development and knowledge transfer to enhance the competitiveness of the Canadian swine sector.
Focusing on four main points:
• Prioritize and communicate research objectives
• Increase science capacity
• Manage research funding
• Transfer knowledge
Complete details can be located on their website. www.swineinnovationporc.ca •

‘FarmHouse’ Focused Model Powers New Landscape of
Livestock Production
Bringing innovative knowledge, technologies, resources and collaboration to farmers’ kitchen table.
J. Neil Dobson and partner Patrick Hague established FarmHouse to help producers succeed — offering a fresh approach and simplified framework to bringing the world’s best knowledge, technologies and resources direct to farm. After laying a strong foundation over recent months, the duo formalized their partnership on June 5, 2020. Building on the FarmHouse team’s extensive background and experience, their main initial focus is on the swine and poultry industries. •

CCSI AGM
The Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI) held their virtual annual general meeting on July 8, 2020, celebrating 25 years in business
Highlights from the meeting included the release of a new strategic plan and presentation of the Swine Breeders’ Merit Awards.
This year’s Board of Directors are returning directors, Brent Robinson (Vista Villa Farms) was elected to a fourth term as Chair, Marquis Roy (AlphaGene) who was elected as First Vice Chair, Dave Vandenbroek (Alliance Genetics Canada) elected as Second Vice Chair, Rod de Wolde (Ontario Swine Improvement), Jacques Faucher (Centre de développement du porc du Québec), Wim Van Berkel (Western Swine Testing Association), Audrey Cameron (Canadian Pork Council), Colleen Roehrig (Canadian Meat Council) and Lee Whittington (Coaching Excellence Organization). CCSI would like to thank departing director Ken Hamoen (Sand Ridge Farm) for his dedication and service to CCSI on the Board of Directors. •