By Andrew Heck

When porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) broke for the first time ever in Alberta, in 2019, the province’s fears of its inevitable spread were confirmed. What was not clear – as in many disease outbreak investigations – is the source of how it arrived on-farm.

“Our disease surveillance program regularly tests for PED, among other viruses of concern,” said Javier Bahamon, Quality Assurance and Production Manager, Alberta Pork. “Before the outbreaks, and since, thousands upon thousands of tests have come back negative, which is a positive sign for our industry.”

Despite surveillance, and despite a lengthy investigation, Alberta’s four PED cases from 2019 remain a minor mystery. Could it have been a contaminated feed ingredient? Poor truck washing? An unintentional lapse in biosecurity? We may never know for sure, but we do know the virus can be present in manure. Is that manure capable of causing the virus to shed in piglets?

With PED flaring up in other parts of Canada, and as farmers turn to spreading manure on their crop fields as a way to offset high fertilizer prices, this question has become important to answer. Thanks to support from Swine Innovation Porc (SIP), Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) and provincial funding partners, researchers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) – led by Qiang Liu and supported by Colette Wheler, Trina Racine and Mingmin Liao – began looking for clues last year, and their findings are now helping to better inform Canada’s PED response.

Simulating barn conditions, for testing

The concern over manure stems from the idea that piglets are highly exposed to manure in the barn, and some of that is ingested. Additionally, when it comes to applying manure to fields, equipment used in the process can be considered fomites – transmission pathways – for the virus.

To find out if it is possible for piglets to shed PED virus after ingesting contaminated manure, three groups of newborn piglets were fed highly concentrated lagoon materials containing RNA of PED virus – a simplified genetic component – which was collected from infected lagoons by representatives from Alberta Pork and Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development. For this specific case study, the lagoon materials were necessarily gathered six-and-a-half months following the initial PED outbreaks in Alberta, which may have impacted results.

Using three commercially available pregnant sows from Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon, piglets were farrowed and immediately brought into the study. After being fed the lagoon materials, the piglets were observed for diarrhea and mortality over the course of a week, which could potentially indicate PED infection. For a deeper dive, fecal swabs were collected for daily analysis.

Following the trial, none of the piglets showed any abnormal clinical signs, though there was mild diarrhea observed in a few piglets. Diarrhea consistency trended toward the lower end of fecal scoring – toward “soft, pasty like toothpaste, sticks to swabs” – which would not be the case in the event of PED infection, where diarrhea should be seen at the higher, more severe end.

The mild diarrhea was gone after a couple of days, and the piglets completely recovered. Body weight gains were similar among piglets having diarrhea and piglets without diarrhea, further indicating that the diarrhea was not the result of PED but some other factor. Fecal swabs failed to yield any of the virus RNA at a detectable level as well.

In this specific case study, under the conditions in which the lagoon materials were gathered, the researchers concluded that the exposure of these animals to the infected material failed to produce infectivity or clinical signs of PED in the animals themselves. Other factors, it seems, are likely responsible for Alberta’s cases of PED in 2019.

Study results are positive, with caution

While the study’s supporters are pleased to have gained further insight into PED’s lack of infectivity in manure, with consideration given to the time period in which the study took place after the initial outbreaks, the important take-home message for producers is not to rest on their laurels when it comes to proper practices.

“We are happy with what the study’s findings, as this study provides a reference when dealing with contaminated manure,” said Bahamon. “However, producers are always advised to be vigilant when it comes to using manure from their operations, since there are still so many more unknowns out there, and we do not want to give anyone a false sense of security, especially in places where PED is an active problem.”

Given the limitations of the study, it cannot be absolutely confirmed that PED virus shedding in piglets is impossible when exposed to contaminated manure. Key factors include the length of time following an outbreak and the number of outbreaks in any given geographic area. These must be taken into account when it comes to evaluating the risk of spreading the disease, and a different level of risk may be observed when dealing with certain cases when other concerns come into play.

As the industry’s understanding of PED continues to improve, mitigating risks, the threat posed by PED remains ever-present. With time and further investigation, the hope is that the industry can further adapt to the realities of this virus, for the benefit of healthy hog production.

By Andrew Heck

The past half-century has brought massive changes to the Canadian pork industry. Changes in politics, society and technology have re-shaped the world in significant ways since 1971, but one thing remains the same in 2022: farmers’ dedication to producing food for consumers, providing jobs for workers and bringing benefits to the economy.

This year, the Canadian Hog Journal celebrates 50 years of publishing coverage of the news, events, commentary, research and other topics that are relevant to farmers, packers, vets, genetics companies, nutrition suppliers, equipment manufacturers and so many people who make this industry what it is.

“When the Alberta Hog Journal first came out, it was my fifth year in the industry, making me one of 22,000 Alberta producers, according to the third edition that year. Three decades later, when I quit hog production, the number of producers had fallen to below 1,000,” said Roy Barrett, a retired farmer near Ponoka, Alberta – approximately 100 kilometres south of Edmonton. “Sten Berg, who was the chair of Alberta Pork at the time, stated in the first edition of the magazine, ‘We believe that primary production belongs in the hands of farmers.’ Unfortunately, hog farmers have disappeared like the bees!”

Now in our 51^st year, we are constantly looking forward, but a quick trip down memory lane reveals just how closely connected – and just how far away – we are today, compared to our roots.

Editorial excellence always in focus

The Hog Journal was first conceived as the ‘Alberta’ Hog Journal when Ed Schultz, Alberta Pork’s former communications manager, then general manager, was hired to take the reins of an upstart publication aimed at the provincial hog industry.

Schultz was attending a meeting hosted by Bruce Jeffery, Alberta Pork’s general manager at that time, who had set his sights on expanding Canadian pork access in Japan. Schultz recalls the incident fondly.

“Bruce asked, ‘Can you write?’ And I lied and told him, ‘Yes,’” said Schultz, jokingly.

Thanks to ongoing market development efforts, the valued relationships established back then are still going strong, with Japanese buyers enthusiastic about Canadian pork to this day. The Alberta Hog Journal helped demonstrate to our foreign partners that Canadian pork was a cut above the rest, from swine research to market analysis, leading to the rapid growth of the commercial industry.

After Stirling McLeod edited the very first edition of the Alberta Hog Journal – his only edition – Schultz would take the editorial lead for the next eight years, before turning over the keys to Bill Owen, in 1979, with the re-named ‘Western’ Hog Journal. In that time, Schultz had assumed the general manager position with Alberta Pork, and the magazine duties had become too much. Now operating with the cooperation of producer organizations in B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the magazine’s popularity and reach had blossomed, further amplifying messages.

Owen would prove to be a stalwart for the next decade, carrying the Western Hog Journal all the way until 1992, when Ward Toma took over.

“The greatest strength of the Journal has always been that it offers very good technical facts,” said Toma. “It is trusted by producers and is well regarded by advertisers, at the same time.”

Toma’s wife, Julie, actually worked with Owen on the magazine at the time the pair met. Toma served as the magazine’s editor until 1996, before joining the Western Hog Exchange (WHE), which split from Alberta Pork that same year, when single-desk selling ended in the province. Today, Toma is the general manager of Alberta Canola.

Following Toma, Jody Wacowich joined.

“For the Journal to last 50 years with all the changes that have happened in communications practice speaks volumes of the value it has for the pork industry,” said Wacowich. “This magazine is a special tool to help keep the industry connected and growing even in the most challenging times.”

Wacowich left the magazine in 2007 and is AgSafe Alberta’s executive director today. After Wacowich, the magazine was taken on by the first of two non-staff editors, Bernie Peet. Sheri Monk took over from Peet in 2013, and in 2017, a national focus was adopted for the magazine. Since being renamed the ‘Canadian’ Hog Journal, the scope of content and readers has continued to expand.

In 2019, the editorial duties were brought back in-house when I (Andrew Heck) was offered the opportunity to take on the role. Two-and-a-half years later, the magazine continues to serve the needs of the many industry stakeholders who read it, and we strive to deliver on our value proposition with every edition.

Content contributors play a crucial role

Each edition of the magazine includes a message from the editor, but what about some of the other players who operate behind the scenes for the publication to become a reality? In many cases, content contributors, designers and administrative staff have outlasted the editors to whom they have answered over the years.

When Marvin Salomons joined Alberta’s agriculture ministry as a pork specialist, in 1980, he was approached by Bill Owen and encouraged by the legendary Frank Aherne – Salomons’ graduate school advisor – to solicit research pieces for the magazine. By 1984, Salomons was writing research reviews himself. His most-recent piece, related to farm labour, was published in 2020.

“I believe the Hog Journal can be proud of where it is today. It has been a long haul with many dedicated editors, transitions and approaches to industry topics,” said Salomons. “Unlike some other magazines, and despite the rise of the internet, the Journal has survived.”

Other writers, such as Geoff Geddes, have also become prolific and regular contributors. Their bylines can be found at the top of many articles published in the past decade.

“The Hog Journal is known as a great place to find important information about the industry,” said Geddes. “With so many interesting topics to pursue, there is no shortage of things to cover.”

Not only editors and writers, but graphic designers, advertising salespeople and Alberta Pork support staff have always been unsung heroes of publishing the Journal.

Prior to the magazine’s ‘Western’ evolution, advertising sales were handled in-house by various Alberta Pork staff members. Starting in 1979, James Shaw, based in Ontario, was responsible for the advertising, until 2014. With Shaw’s departure, sales became the responsibility of Sheri Monk. Following Monk, Robert Samletzki of Calgary-based WTR Media took on the file.

“We’re grateful for advertisers’ support,” said Samletzki. “Their contributions are fundamental to keeping the magazine running, and we appreciate that.”

On the layout side, the Journal was produced by Quality Color Press in Edmonton for many years. Starting in 2010, Capital Colour in Edmonton – just around the corner from the Alberta Pork office – took over design and printing.

“For the last 12 years, we have enjoyed working with the fine people at Alberta Pork,” said Brian Todd, President, Capital Colour. “We’re looking forward to continuing our relationship for many years to come!”

Last but far from least, Marilyn Griesheimer, Office & Finance Manager, Alberta Pork, has been responsible for handling most of the financial demands that come with the magazine, since 1977. At this point, Griesheimer holds the title of the longest-serving member of the team, surpassing Ed Schultz, who retired from the magazine and his lengthy career, in 2007.

The Journal lives on, thanks to you

Fifty years from the inception of the Alberta Hog Journal, few producers today were in business at the time the magazine was first published, but many of their parents and grandparents were. Now, as many of those producers are parents and grandparents themselves, the longevity and sustainability of the family farm and the farming community at large remains at the heart of the Canadian Hog Journal. The printed magazine is still delivered to more than 2,500 mailboxes five times every year, and it is being read digitally by thousands more as time goes on and preferences change.

Through thick and thin, the Journal has withstood a test of time many magazines are never able to achieve. This legacy is the result of much hard work by everyone who has contributed to the magazine, including financially, which is all made possible thanks to the support of producers and the broader industry.

On behalf of the Canadian Hog Journal and Alberta Pork, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all the readers, advertisers and partners within industry, government and academia who have willingly and faithfully propped up this publication throughout the years – some of which were not particularly easy. Since the beginning, this magazine has existed to encourage the collective success of the entire Canadian pork value chain. This objective has remained firmly front-and-centre for editors past and present, and it will remain in sight for the foreseeable future.

By Stuart Smyth

Editor’s note: Stuart Smyth is an associate professor with the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources, where he holds the Agri-Food Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair. He can be contacted at stuart.smyth@usask.ca.

The farther we tread into 2022, it would appear this year is positioning itself to be one of the worst on record for producers and consumers, who are facing higher input costs, driven by supply shortages, that are threatening farmers’ livelihoods, food security and food pricing globally.

In addition to reduced availability of food, feed grains and fertilizer, political volatility and transportation disruptions have made the past year particularly bumpy. These factors are reflected in producers’ expenses and consumers’ ability to access affordable food.

War in Ukraine pauses production and export

Ukraine and Russia are leaders when it comes to crop production and export, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has added another dimension to supply chain woes.

Ukraine is the world’s leading exporter of sunflower oil, fourth-leading exporter of wheat and corn, and ranks seventh in rapeseed exports. Russia, on the other hand, is second in wheat, rapeseed and sunflower oil; fourth in barley; and sixth in corn. And both countries are facing trade dilemmas, for different reasons.

This spring, much of Ukraine’s arable land may go unseeded, due to the inability to safely deliver seed, fertilizer and fuel to farms, in addition to difficulties related to transporting existing stocks to export points, such as maritime ports on the Black Sea, from where container ships set sail across the world. Conversely, Russia faces trade restrictions and sanctions, which could be extended to commodity exports, as well as transportation access to port facilities.

Further compounding the problem in crop markets was the March 2022 announcement that Argentina has halted its export of soybean oil and meal. As the world’s leading exporter of both – accounting for 41 per cent of total global soybean meal exports and 46 per cent of soybean oil – these restrictions will negatively impact meal- and oil-importing countries that rely on Argentina, as they will now have to pay higher prices to import from other exporting countries.

Fertilizer prices are also considerably higher than last year. In the spring of 2021, urea prices were just over USD $500 per tonne, and by February 2022, the price rose to USD $900 per tonne, an increase of 45 per cent, according to data analyst firm DTN. Production delays at chemical plants have reduced the availability of some plant protection products heading into the 2022 crop year.

Crop farmers who still have commodities on-farm are fortunate, as they can still take advantage of receiving higher prices for last year’s yield. While farmers may benefit from the currently high commodity prices – whether in crops or livestock – input costs have also increased. Farmers will need to ensure their pencils are sharp and that they are able to improve their profitability in the face of rising input and commodity prices.

Canadian transportation faces disruptions

Inflation in February 2022 rose to 5.7 per cent year-over-year, the highest since the early 1990s. The rising price of crude oil throughout 2021 and into 2022 has contributed to increasing the cost of transporting food into and across Canada. Furthering this problem are challenges to transportation corridors – be it the flooding of highways and railways in B.C. and disruptions to key trade routes with the U.S., such as highways and bridges at international border crossings. 

A large part of the challenge facing agricultural commodity and food product supply chains is the increased competition for rail line access, most notably with the energy industry. Canada has a proven, safe network of oil and gas pipelines that, with some line expansion, could facilitate the transportation of tens of thousands of additional barrels of petroleum products per day. Because pipeline construction has been delayed or, in some instances, outright cancelled, agricultural commodities and food products must compete with the more profitable oil and gas exports for rail access, raising transportation costs even more.

As governments have been slow to recognize the significance of transportation as a key part of food security, officials are becoming more aware just how vital transportation is within agri-food. As consumers continue to express their concerns over food pricing, we may see greater emphasis placed on the movement of food products within Canada, by finding ways to overcome constraints.

Very quickly, governments in Canada need to decide whether to move oil by rail or food by rail, as the current approach of moving significant volumes of oil by rail needlessly contributes to higher food prices.

Sticker shock for shoppers

If 2020 and 2021 had been ‘normal’ years, the rise in food prices would not have been as dramatic as we are currently witnessing. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted food processing and distribution, resulting in shortages of some products and higher prices for most products. After being subject to shortages, price increases and shrinking product sizes for the past two years, consumers are becoming wary of pushing their carts down grocery store aisles, as they are unsure of just what price increase is going to jump out at them next.

Consumers faced a constant barrage of food price increases throughout 2021 that show no sign of easing up this year, according to Canada’s Food Price Report for 2022. Last year, meat prices rose by nearly 10 per cent, dairy products were up by five per cent and bakery, fruits and vegetables were up by three per cent. Restaurant prices also rose by three per cent. On average, in 2021, food prices rose by four per cent and are projected to rise by as much as seven per cent in 2022.

In the fall of 2021, media reports indicated that consumers were foregoing some purchases, as the price of some products was beyond what consumers felt was reasonable. This may have been more noticeable at specific times of the year when families tend to gather to celebrate holidays or special occasions.  

While some consumers have been able to absorb the increased costs without much trouble, a growing number of Canadians are being priced out of the equation altogether, relying on food banks to meet their needs. This trend suggests not only frustration with the higher cost of living but also a crisis for public health, which is tied to nutrition.

Food insecurity grows in step with conflict

When we think of the food supply chain, Canadians should also consider parts of the world that are much less fortunate than ours. The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) uses food assistance to build a pathway to peace and prosperity for people recovering from conflict and disasters.

Anticipated lower production and export of Ukrainian wheat will put significant pressure on the WFP, which buys 50 per cent of its wheat requirements from Ukraine. Much of this wheat is distributed to many food-insecure northern African countries. The lost access to this wheat would mean the WFP would need to buy the same amount of wheat at a higher price – or more worryingly – the amount of wheat purchased would decline due to a price increase, potentially resulting in more people becoming food-insecure.

In late 2007 and early 2008, economic and political conditions resulted in a food pricing crisis for many countries globally. At the time, several Asian countries had enacted bans on rice exports, resulting in even higher rice prices, exacerbating the problem. Export restrictions compound issues related to supply and pricing, and they are not viable solutions to complex situations, such as the sanctioning of Russia. Should Russia be hit with export bans, the net effect could be largely negative for everyone.

Are brighter days ahead?

While the future appears rather dark and ominous, rays of sunshine have poked through, providing some optimism. For example, if sufficient moisture is received during the coming growing and pasture season, grain supply could improve.

COVID-19’s impact on the agri-food sector is rapidly diminishing, indicating that processing and manufacturing will begin returning to full capacity. These capacity increases will help ensure that livestock producers can market their animals and that grocery store shelves will once again be fully stocked.

With farmers’ bottom lines and consumers’ pocketbooks feeling the pinch, we can only hope the worst of 2022 is now behind us and the remainder of the year is considerably brighter.