The impact of COVID-19 and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea on Manitoba’s pork sector has prompted a working group to look for possible solutions. 
In response to the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the cycle of PED virus outbreaks, (85 as of March 23) Manitoba Pork established a value-chain working group to answer the question, what does the industry need to do differently to deal with disease and potentially help prevent the next pandemic. 
Cam Dahl, the general manager of Manitoba Pork, said disease control and prevention is a priority. In addition, the understanding of the need for extreme biosecurity measures has dramatically increased in the last five years in the pork sector. 
“There isn’t a pork producer that I talk to that isn’t aware of the need to have strict biosecurity measures in their operations. But it still surprises most people when you tell them you need to shower when you go into a pork barn, not necessarily when you come out.” 
That awareness has come about because of outbreaks like PED and producers taking steps to keep it out of their herds. It’s come about because of outside threats like African Swine Fever and looking at the damage caused in other countries and the cost to the industry. 
“There’s a real recognition that we need to take those steps to keep diseases out and control them if they arrive. I think COVID-19 has brought awareness of biosecurity to the general public.” 
Social distancing tracking and tracing contacts when sick and taking measures like masks are all biosecurity measures so the awareness has come about in public because of COVID-19 and that’s a good thing. 
Since PED first arrived in the province in 2014, a pattern of significant outbreaks occurred every two years, which isn’t sustainable. 
“We’re looking for practical solutions whether in the communication of best management practices, whether it’s in signage or how we need to communicate to service providers on the status of a farm and how they should respond to have those tangible practical outcomes on how we might break the cycle. We seem to be in this two-year cycle. 
The goal is to look at some of the management practices in other jurisdictions, in the U.S. for example? Are they doing things differently than in Manitoba? 
“We’re lucky the value chain works well together, whether the veterinarians and swine health specialists at the integrated operations like HyLife or Maple Leaf or the independent vets and our Chief Veterinary Officer.” 
It is a collaborative effort with farmers to work on these solutions and problems in a way that looks at the best interests of the industry and gets a consensus position across the sector.  
Dahl said the goal of the value chain working group is to develop practical solutions that all of the industry can embrace. He hopes the working group will be able to start communicating findings by late spring or early summer. •
— By Harry Siemens