8 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | June 2024 SQUEAL ON PIGS GEOFF GEDDES Geoff is a freelance writer and editor specializing in agriculture. He is based in Edmonton and has written for farm magazines, blogs, websites and social media. Lees. “Once we trap pigs, the owners can remove them or spread more bait for us if needed. “In this way, we can cover the southern half of Manitoba, which is the problem region, with a small field team.” Producers are encouraged to visit www.squealonpigsmb.org , where they can view a map of wild pig sightings, reports from the last couple of years and photos of the damage caused by these creatures. Most importantly, they can complete an online reporting form and submit it directly through the website, where it is then viewed by field staff. The aim’s the same While each province has a different approach to the problem, they share a common enemy and goal. “Alberta and Manitoba have very similar Squeal on Pigs! campaigns, while the approaches in Saskatchewan and B.C. are slightly different,” reports Brockhoff. “That diversity reflects the unique nature of each province’s regulatory framework, financial supports and constraints, and available resources in terms of trapping and removal.” The existence of formal campaigns in the Prairie provinces makes sense given that all three have known wild pig populations. In Ontario and Quebec, where governments are not aware of any current herds, the public is asked to contact the ministry of agriculture in each province with any sighting. Just as collaboration has played a huge role in combating wild pigs to date, it will remain a crucial part of success going forward. “I would like to see information about wild pigs assembled in one place so we can establish a national baseline,” says Colleen McElwain. “That will help inform the conversation among the provinces, provincial pork associations and conservation agencies, as well as Indigenous groups, who are key stakeholders in this issue.” All of those entities hold some information about the problem, so this will help Animal Health Canada to gauge where we are at when it comes to monitoring and trapping wild pig populations. “Any time we make changes around trapping or reporting, having these groups connected sheds some light on whether we are actually reducing the numbers and what else we can do on that front,” explains McElwain. “We really need aggregate information so we can find ways to be innovative and take the right approach in the years to come.” The cooperation among the provincial governments, Ottawa and pig organizations is unprecedented, according to McElwain. That approach has accelerated the process of combatting wild pigs and preventing ASF from reaching our borders. Keeping up to track them down In spite of their size, wild pigs can move quickly, so those that are targeting the animals must keep pace. “We hope to have a new early detection tool in our surveillance program in the near future,” says McElwain. “We also want to foster even more communication among those affected.” Though there is much written about wild pigs, it’s important to separate fact from fiction to avoid alarm. “A lot of media have sensationalized the matter, even calling the creatures ‘super pigs’,” says Lees. “It’s unfortunate to have them labelled that way, as they don’t have capes and can’t fly or leap tall buildings in a single bound; that said, they are very hardy and intelligent. “Our goal is to eliminate them from every province, and it might take a decade, but I think we can do it.” BP Better Farming and Farms.com are accepting applications/resumes for the following position. It’s Farming. And it’s Better. APPLY TODAY TO JOIN OUR TEAM: Paul.Nolan@Farms.com FARMING JOURNALIST New full-time or potential part-time home-based role with popular farming magazine. You love farming and can write engaging, insightful stories about our industry and its farming families. You possess a professional, team-oriented attitude with strong language skills. You are comfortable proofing copy for errors and factchecking for accuracy. You enjoy taking interesting farm photos with your mobile device. If this sounds like you, please let us know!
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