Traceability has always been about emergency management. In the event of a food safety issue, a feed contamination issue or a foreign animal disease issue, traceability gives animal health officials and food safety officials better tools to do their investigation.
Improving response time minimizes the effects of a crisis, which in turn reduces the economic impact and definitely saves dollars for industry but also saves dollars for the tax payer.
Many barn managers already capture movement information for their own records using barn management software. PigTrace Canada is in the process of talking to companies responsible for swine production management software. By modifying the software to automatically transfer information to the PigTrace system, it will be relatively simple to forward traceability information to a national database through an internet connection.
We are hopeful that the technology can lead us to improved information management for our producers without creating extra workload.
The added security of a national traceability system provides Canada’s pork producers with a competitive advantage in the global market place.
Traceability is a component which is valued in both local and international markets and will allow the Canadian pork industry to maintain market access.
The ability to quickly identify affected swine and farms will improve the pork industry’s chances of returning to international trade as soon as possible following a major disease outbreak.
By quickly bringing an end to such an outbreak, the industry will be able to return to international markets in a much shorter period of time. The Canadian pork industry will have the ability to regain strength and maintain their excellent international reputation.
PigTrace Canada is looking at a whole variety of options for getting information into the national traceability system. We are exploring all options to make use of cutting edge technologies and existing business practices. We want to automate information flow as much as possible to reduce errors and costs. We also want to make it easy for the system user.
It is our hope that PigTrace technology inspires the Canadian pork industry to explore innovative changes.
Canada is one of the few countries in the world initiating a national swine traceability system. Traceability is gaining popularity in highly valued local and international markets. By being one of the first countries to implement a national traceability system the Canadian pork industry has an opportunity to improve its market competitiveness.
April 5, 2012
CANADA: BC producers must register in land ID program
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May 4, 2012
EUROPE: RTLS lets pigs roam free
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April 5, 2012
CANADA: Consultation: Strengthening livestock and poultry traceability in Canada
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This project was made possible by funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. AAFC is committed to working with our industry partners to increase public awareness of the importance of the agri-food industry to Canada. Opinions expressed on this site are those of the Canadian Pork Council and not necessarily the Department’s.