Better Pork February 2017

Better Pork

February 2017

BEYOND

THE

BARN

Importing viruses

via feed

Imported feed ingredients for pigs

may be the perfect vehicle for un-

wanted hitchhikers.

Researchers have found that viral

pathogens can travel across borders,

catching a ride with imported feed

products from high-risk countries,

according to

Scott Dee

, DVM and

director of research at

Pipestone

Applied Research

In 2013, Porcine Epidemic Diar-

rhea (PED) arrived in North America

for the first time – prompting ques-

tions about how the virus spread.

Because of similarities between the

North American and Chinese strains,

Dee looked at feed as a potential risk.

“Originally, we were told viruses

were not going to cross the ocean,”

says Dee. After mimicking similar

travel conditions, Dee and his team

found that “certain ingredients in

swine feed can harbour the virus

longer – the virus can survive for 180

days in soybean meal, for example.”

“These findings are not meant to

fear monger – we are not done with

the work yet,” he says.

Doug MacDougald

, DVM and

member of the

Ontario Swine Health

Advisory Board

and

Swine Health

Ontario

, echoes these thoughts.

“The U.S. and Canada have a high

level of regulations in place (for

disease prevention). This just expands

the scope of discussion and investiga-

tion of what else we need to be

looking at,” he says.

With

Donald Trump

threatening to

kill the

Trans-Pacific Partnership

(TPP), a trade deal signed in Feb.

2016 by 12 countries – includ-

ing Canada and the Unit-

ed States – which cov-

er 40 per cent of

the world’s

economy, the

Canadian

pork industry

could take a

big hit.

According to

an analysis con-

ducted for the

Cana-

dian Pork Council

(CPC), the Canadian pork

industry would increase its exports

by $300 million once the TPP is

fully implemented.

“This agreement stands to

eliminate burdensome tariffs and

level the playing field,” said

Darcy

Fitzgerald

, executive director of

Alberta Pork

While everyone is hoping for the

best, surviving in the pork

industry means preparing

for the worst.

“Given the uncer-

tainty right now, it’s

conceivable that

TPP partners

could start

side deals,” said

Gary Stordy

public relations

manager for the

CPC.

“The Canadian pork

industry will lose if Canada

ignores that possibility and fails to

show interest in joining the conver-

sation. Our industry considers TPP

a priority, but we would also

encourage the federal government

to have a backup plan.”

Canadian pork industry hoping TPP

won’t be DOA (dead on arrival)

MargoeEdwards/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo

Shutterstock photo

Just when you thought bacon in

real life couldn’t get any more excit-

ing, you can now try shopping for

bacon in virtual reality.

Hormel Foods

recently intro-

duced

The Black Market

– “a

multisensory bacon experience

designed to launch consumers on a

quest in a world of bacon,” accord-

ing to a company release.

Users can “travel” through the

virtual world to

view

and search for distinct bacon

flavours such as brown sugar or

premium jalapeno. Based on their

virtual “discoveries,” users can also

purchase and ship real bacon.

“We’re proud to advance our

mission of celebrating the excep-

tional, pushing bacon forward and

bringing better bacon into more

homes with new distribution

channels and buying experiences,”

Steve Venenga

, vice president of

marketing at Hormel Foods, said in

the release.

Hormel explained users

can visit BlackLabelBacon.

com on their smartphone

for the best virtual shop-

ping experience.

The company did

offer bacon-scented

goggles for an

enhanced viewing

experience, however these

goggles sold out quickly.

Shopping for bacon in virtual reality