Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 5/20/14
 

Canadian government officials are providing funding to help stem the potential impact of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) in British Columbia hog farms as well as other parts of Canada, according to a government announcement.

The governments of British Columbia and Canada gave C$613,050 ($564,711) to the British Columbia Pork Producers Association to set up preventative measures in the event that the disease arrives in the province and beyond.

The money will fund efforts to launch enhanced biosecurity measures; including inspecting and cleaning livestock transport trucks and improve driver sanitation.

Additionally, response and containment plans will be developed at two pork processing facilities and 21 pork-producing farms in B.C. Programs to improve auditing, surveillance and application of national standards for biosecurity measures on all farms will also be supported by the investment.

Officials said that although no cases of PEDv have been found so far in British Columbia, government agencies and the trade organization want to be sure that all parties are ready should the highly infectious disease – which results in high mortality rates in young piglets – become an issue in Canada.

The Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal Health Centre already receives more than 5,000 animal samples for testing each year.

There are 6,421 confirmed cases of PEDv in the United States, according to the latest data from the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.

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