Why On-farm Programs Matter 
Those were among the first words John Ross said during his presentation at Saskatchewan Pork Symposium 2021.  For the second consecutive year, the symposium was held via Zoom, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 
Ross, the executive director of the Canadian Pork Council, told producers of the value of Canadian Pork Excellence program and its suite of three programs — PigCare, PigSafe and PigTrace. 
He began his presentation talking about the industry in general. 
“We are all in on trade in the pork sector in Canada. We have a huge net trade surplus. We are the No. 3 exporter in the world behind the European Union and the United States. But we are also a top 10 importer. Twenty per cent of the pork in Canada is imported. 
“That means we get to see competitors in our market, in the domestic market and we get to see them in the global market every day. We have to figure out how we are best going to deal with that. 
He said everyone in the pork industry from start to finish has to meet the needs of consumers. The Canadian Pork Excellence program is the ticket for that. Sign the forms, he encouraged producers on Zoom. 
He pointed to a graphic which included a picture of a meat case in Japan, and one of a family in Canada. 
“The needs of the customers in those two markets, the consumers in those two markets, the populations in those two markets are completely different.” 
He pointed to those in the retail food service who deal with consumers every day. 
“What are their needs in meeting expectations of their customers and what are their needs in meeting the expectations of their owners?” 
He pointed to suppliers and processors. And then to producers. 
“What are the needs at that level. How do you build a program that handles that entire supply chain and then overlaying all that you have?” 
He talked about what could be considered a typical customer. 
“When Canadians are thinking about agriculture and agri-food, then the food they eat at a generic level, they are thinking ‘is it safe to eat and is it responsibly produced?’ 
“Those that eat meat don’t want to feel guilty about it. It is an aggravation in their lives they don’t need. 
“Consumers, on the other hand, are a lot more fun. They are hanging out in front of the meat case; they are thinking about pork products to buy; they are checking off on the safety of the product … They want to know if the product is nutritious. 
“I can tell you over the course of my life, as I move from younger guy into the end of the Boomer generation, health has become a lot more important to me.” 
He said consumers want a product that is affordable. 
“A lot of folks go to the grocery store with a fixed account to spend and they want to spend it wisely. And last but not least, ‘can I prepare it, is it easy to prepare; I don’t to make this my life’s work. And will my family eat it?’” 
He said on-farm programs work. 
“For a country that exports, market access does matter. These programs provide an entry point to accessing many markets around the globe.” 

He said there is the potential for tremendous growth in countries such as the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea and China. 
“When we look at these market and what they require, how do we meet all of those demands, all of those needs from that different group of customers?” 
He said having everyone on the same page provides credibility when dealing with other countries. 
“Probably the biggest thing that matters is credibility. This is why it is very, very important that it be done at the farm level. It is not enough for me to get up in some fancy ballroom and make a big speech. People see through foolishness very, very quickly. 
“You have to be able to demonstrate that you have a credible program. And the credibility of our on-farm programs rests with the people who put it in place on farm.” 
He said PigTrace has been a good building block.
“It is platform that allows us to put ractopamine-free certification in place with not as much as fuss as you might expect. And to put it in place nationally across Canada in one single program in a manner we can verify that we have our act together.” 
He spoke specifically about pig tracing and animal disease. 
“We have within the PigTrace database millions of records. And because we have millions of records, we can now start to use that data to model where disease is likely to go if we break in a particular spot. 
“This allows for the Wayne Gretzky of disease responses. Wayne Gretzky wanted to go to where the puck was going, not where it had been. We want our veterinarians, the folks running down these diseases, to go where the disease is likely to be and work backwards from there. 
“That way we can contain it, not chase it. You can do that with modelling. And we have the data available to get our arms around that . . . if we have to take at a run at a disease. 
“It is fundamental when we go to talk to regulators in other countries — the United States, Japan, Vietnam. They really want to know how you are managing these zones, how are you managing these compartments.” 
He said “signing the forms” will put everyone in the industry on the same page, and that is good for everyone in the chain of pork production. •
— By Cam Hutchinson