Manitoba Pork Producers Applaud New Biosecurity Legislation

Manitoba's pork producers are applauding the Manitoba government's passage of new bills designed to enhance the ability of farmers to enforce biosecurity protocols. Prior to adjourning for its summer recess, the Manitoba Legislature passed Bill 62, the Animal Diseases Amendment Act, and Bill 63, the Petty Trespasses Amendment and Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act.

Cam Dahl, the General Manager of Manitoba Pork, says these two pieces of legislation are very important to producers in Manitoba.

Clip-Cam Dahl-Manitoba Pork:

They help ensure that farmers can help protect their animals from biosecurity threats. We've all seen in the past year and a half on COVID how important biosecurity is and that applies to animals as well. These two sets of laws will help strengthen farmers ability to keep strangers away from their animals, help to keep their sites secure and, frankly it's not just the animals.

It helps keep people safe as well so very important pieces of legislation. We've seen in other jurisdictions where activists who do not appreciate modern agriculture have sat in on barn facilities, have prevented transportation of animals and that really is putting livestock and people at risk.

Everybody is open to have their own point of view. We welcome the discussion but it's important to ensure that farmers can keep their animals safe and keep that biosecurity profile secure.

Dahl says, when you see the devastation caused by African Swine fever in Europe and Asia, it's clear we need to ensure that disease as well as others are kept out of our herds.

He says this legislation helps ensure producers can protect their animals by keeping outsiders out and ensuring animals are not exposed to diseases brought in by those who might be following the correct biosecurity procedures.