Canada’s swine industry has received a $13 million investment from Stephen Harper’s government for a pork research cluster that will help the sector keep pace with changing consumer demands, enhance disease resilience and continue focusing on animal welfare measures.
This investment, being made under the AgriInnovation Program, will help the sector to build on the work done under the previous $9.5 million swine cluster (2010–13). The new cluster, led by Swine Innovation Porc, will help industry experts, scientists and academics to increase market share and competitiveness by enhancing the nutritional value of pork products.
The investment includes $2 million for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada researchers to participate in trials that help reduce production and feed input costs and enhance product attributes and profitability.
Industry partners are providing $4.3 million to support the research cluster.