January 29, 2015

Managing farm animal care is critical as industry shifts to brighter horizons

Canada is making strong progress is managing the farm animal care issue in the pork industry. But what impact will "X factors" such as ongoing activist and consumer pressure, as well as the implementation challenges with a new Pig Code, have on the future?

Participants got a wealth of important insights on this question at the 2015 Banff Pork Seminar, attended by well over 600 industry players including from across Canada and significant representation from the U.S. and internationally. A full package of Seminar highlights and key information is featured in a Special Meeting Report.

January 29, 2015

Charlie Arnot, The Centre for Food Integrity

'Six keys to success' with animal care rising as front-burner issue

"I truly believe it's a phenomenal time to be in the pork industry," says Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity CEO. "But it depends on social license. The opportunities ahead will only continue to be there if freedom to operate is continually earned and maintained.

"It's about trust. It's about transparency. It's about building and communicating an ethical foundation for our activity that aligns with consumer values."

January 29, 2015

Dr. Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University

But manage it well and don't take it for granted, says economist

"I think we're going to expand the industry a little less than if we didn't have this uncertainty related to welfare and other social issues, but in the big picture animal welfare is a very small component of the broader economic story," says agriculture economist Glynn Tonsor of Kansas State University.

Still, consumers want more assurance of responsible welfare, he says. "This is the new reality and the better we can understand and adjust to it the better equipped we will be to make the right decisions."

January 29, 2015

Christian Blais, Isoporc and Gène-Alliance

• Veterinarian Dr. Egan Brockhoff presented on how to meet pain management challenges under the new Pig Code. (Watch for highlights of Brokhoff's talk in the next edition of NewStream.)
• Kase van Ittersum of New West Standard Equipment Inc. discussed pen gestation conversions from his North American and international perspective
• And Christian Blais of Isoporc and Gene-Alliance offered lessons and insights on the effort toward pen conversions in the province of Quebec.

January 29, 2015

Quick takes on key activity and what's coming, from NewStream editors

The importance of farm animal care to many of the challenges and opportunities in pork production was clearly evident at the 2015 Banff Pork Seminar.

A number of speakers spoke directly on animal welfare, as this issue of NewStream illustrates. But animal care was a part of many other topics, such as whether pork genetics are up to the task of meeting today's industry requirements including animal care requirements, to a look at emerging production systems designed to sell specific market advantages of new systems.

Animal care was a part of the winners of the F. X. Aherne awards for innovation and it was a backdrop issue in two plenary presentations on market outlook looking at the industry's future. As well, it was part of an energetic discussion in the Boar Pit that closed the conference.

News articles and much more from this year's seminar are highlighted in a Special Inside BPS Report produced by Meristem editors with support from the Banff Pork Seminar. These articles are available for use by media and industry information channels.

A short list of headline examples from news features and blog items available in this web-based report includes several items that deal directly or indirectly with animal welfare:

• Markets promising for new-look Canadian pork industry
• Welfare issue won't derail positive outlook for pork industry
• Trust issue rises as lynchpin to pork industry future
• Two winners share Aherne Prize at Banff Pork Seminar 2015
• Student science winners at BPS 2015
• Boar Pit takes aim at hot topics
• Lessons on group sow housing
• Canada and U.S. share interests
• Genomics will drive a new era of pork improvement
• What's a good employee worth?

The Banff Pork Seminar 2015 Special Report is available here. More information on the Banff Pork Seminar is available on the website www.banffpork.ca.