The federal government has pledged up to $1.7 million toward foreign animal disease prevention, the federal agriculture minister announced today.
The cash goes to Animal Health Canada, a public-private conglomerate that includes the National Farm Animal Care Council, Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System and Emergency Management.
“Animal Health Canada’s coordination role with partners and stakeholders has been key to Canada’s animal disease prevention, and to ensuring our livestock sector is ready in the event of an outbreak,” said Lawrence MacAulay, the federal minister of agriculture, in a news release.
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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada contributed nearly $1 million through its African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program to Animal Health Canada’s ongoing coordination role in efforts to prevent and prepare for an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF).
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency contributed nearly $700,000 to support efforts over the next two years to prepare for outbreaks of ASF and foot and mouth disease.
This will include analysis of surveillance data, training, development of a vaccine strategy in the event of a FMD outbreak, and other planning, the news release said.
Pork sector groups have been working with federal and provincial officials for some years to develop a comprehensive plan for if ASF should arrive in Canada. To date, the closest ASF has been detected is in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Last year, the Canadian Cattle Association warned that a FMD outbreak will eventually hit Canada’s shores. CCA president Nathan Finney suggested the federal government needed to take action to protect Canadian producers’ livelihoods.
