Canada’s ASF zoning agreement with Japan welcomed by Manitoba Pork Producer

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Manitoba Pork general manager Cam Dahl said an ASF outbreak in Canada would be catastrophic for the industry. 

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“If we get an ASF outbreak without a zoning agreement, our borders close and we can’t export any pork and we can’t export any live animals,” Dahl said. “In Manitoba’s case, that’s 90 per cent of the 8.5 million animals we raise every year.”

Closing the borders would also be a direct hit to the provincial economy. Dahl said zoning agreements would protect parts of the country without ASF cases.

“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency would set up a containment zone around an infected site, such as a five- or 10-kilometre circle, and prove to trading partners the outbreak is contained within that zone. When that happens, the rest of the country can continue to trade.” 

Dahl said the zoning agreement significantly reduces the risk of long-term economic impacts from an outbreak.  

“Right now, with Japan, we have between 65 and 70 per cent of our export markets with an agreement in place. That is critically important and that includes markets like the United States, like the Philippines, Singapore, there’s eight countries now that we have agreements with,” he added. “We’re getting up to that point where, again, we can rapidly reopen the borders to some of our major markets.” 

Dahl said keeping trade and supply chains open in the event of an outbreak will help save farms, jobs and communities throughout Manitoba. 

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com