Half of Saskatchewan’s Swine Farms Now Have On-Farm Emergency Response Plans in Place

The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board (Sask Pork) reports that approximately 50% of swine production sites in the province have now developed site-specific on-farm emergency response plans.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen the province’s preparedness for foreign animal disease outbreaks, such as African Swine Fever (ASF), or any other emergencies requiring mass euthanasia and carcass disposal.

In partnership with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Animal Health Emergency Management (AHEM) project, Sask Pork has released a comprehensive mass euthanasia and disposal producer guide. The organization also hosted in-person and online workshops and offered financial assistance to support the development of tailored emergency response plans for producers.

“An emergency response plan is essentially a step-by-step guide that producers prepare in advance—when there’s time to set priorities—so they can act quickly and effectively during a crisis,” said Karolina Steinerova, Producer Services Manager at Sask Pork.

She emphasized that while Canada remains free of ASF, even a single case would significantly impact the industry. “If an emergency happens and we are not prepared, we might not act to our best ability to handle the situation effectively,” she said. “Having a plan in place ahead of time not only improves response but also helps protect the entire swine sector.”

Between January and March 2025, 68 emergency response plans were submitted, representing around half of all swine farms in Saskatchewan.