Posted by Christina Florencio on Fri, Jun 22, 2012
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(Photo: Lord Rex)
Ottawa- The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) is pleased to learn that Canada has been invited to participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The successful completion of these trade talks can significantly enhance long term market possibilities for Canadian pork.
“The continuous efforts to open new and existing markets by the federal government will increase export opportunities for Canadian pork,” stated CPC’s Chair Jean-Guy Vincent. “A seat at the TPP negotiation table is an opening for Canada to secure long term market development opportunities, and to enhance its terms of trade with free trade agreement partners, who are, or wish to be TPP participants.
“The Pacific region is comprised of many economically emerging countries that are experiencing significant growth in both per capita incomes and population. These conditions generally lead to rapid increases in consumption and importation of meat products,” added Vincent. “Many of Canada fastest growing pork export markets are in this region and pork exports to its top ten Pacific Asian markets, in addition to Japan, have quadrupled over the past ten years to now exceed $600 million on an annual basis.”
Export access is of crucial importance to the Canadian pork industry. Canadian pork exports in 2011 exceeded $3.2 billion and about two-thirds of Canada pork production is exported. With constantly changing conditions of export competition exchange rates, agricultural policy and technical barriers – Canada’s pork producers are extremely concerned that Canada does not fall behind the United States and to other competitors in terms of access acquired through regional trade agreements. The CPC is thus very supportive of the federal government’s current pro-trade agenda, seeking improved terms of trade for Canada through agreements with the European Union, Japan, South Korea and now, the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The CPC serves as the national voice for hog producers in Canada. A federation of nine provincial pork industry associations, our organization’s purpose is to play a leadership role in achieving and maintaining a dynamic and prosperous Canadian pork sector.
Posted by Lee Drever on Fri, Jan 13, 2012
Minnesota farmers explain how building better saved them money while producing faster.
Posted by Christina Florencio on Wed, Jul 20, 2011
(Photo by: Maurice)
TOPIGS, one of the global leaders in pig breeding and artificial insemination, shipped 324 breeding pigs to Japan last month. These animals, classified as "the top" contenders from the company's breeding pyramid and with the highest SPF health status, all came from Canada.
This shipment follows a quarantine period in Japan that resulted from the devastating earthquake, and tsunami. The pigs were transported to their final destination: a Japanese farm with 3000 sows that will use Topigs InGene for future sow replacement. Earlier this year the same hog operation imported breeding stock from Canadian farmers.
More imports to Japan from Europe and Canada will take place later in 2011. With these imports, the Japanese market will be provided with a breed of high-performance genetics that will help Japan recover from its recent quarantine. Since the introduction of boars and sows to the Japanese market a few years ago, they have surprised Japanese farmers with their high and efficient production of piglets and meat.
Are you getting the most out of your Hog Operation? Learn how one hog farmer increased his yields and saved money:
Posted by Lee Drever on Tue, May 31, 2011
Do you have "Happy Hogs"? Click here to find out how "Happy Hogs" translated into profits for a MT farmer.
It has been long understood by hog farmers that excessive heat equals reduced growth and reproduction in hogs but an Iowa State University animal scientist is leading a research project to further understand the actual physiological impacts of heat stress on pigs.
“The primary objectives are to evaluate why and how heat stress reduces swine productivity,” said Lance Baumgard, Iowa State associate professor and the Norman L. Jacobson Endowed Professor of Nutritional Physiology.
“Heat stress is the costliest issue for American animal agriculture and is even more economically devastating in the developing world. If climate change continues as predicted, the negative effects of environmental heat stress on pig production will become more severe,” he said.
Having a clear understanding of the biological mechanisms responsible for reduced productivity during heat stress is needed to develop strategies to improve suboptimal production during the warm summer months, Baumgard added.
Building with concrete is one of the best ways to create a stable climate temperature for livestock.
Baumgard is heading a team of animal scientists from Iowa State, the University of Arizona, the University of Missouri and Virginia Tech University. They will study how heat affects swine in several areas including nutrition, reproduction, muscle biology and immunology.
The $2.5 million research project is funded for five years by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).