Squeal on Pigs Manitoba receives new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership funding

Manitoba Pork, in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba, and in collaboration with Manitoba’s agricultural sector, is pleased to announce that the Squeal on Pigs Manitoba initiative will receive over $2.6 million over the next four years to further the work of tracking and removing wild pigs from Manitoba’s landscape.

“Wild pigs continue to thrive across Manitoba and are vectors for many diseases that have a devastating impact on both domestic pigs as well as other animals,” said Dr. Wayne Lees, project coordinator, Squeal on Pigs Manitoba. “Together with our partners in both the provincial and federal governments, as well as Manitoba’s agricultural sector and stakeholders across the province, this new funding will allow us to further our efforts to track, trap, and remove wild pigs from the landscape and protect our province.”

The goal of the Squeal on Pigs campaign is to identify where wild pigs are in Manitoba, control their spread, and remove as many pigs as possible from the landscape. Ultimately, the goal is to eradicate this invasive species from the province. Squeal on Pigs employs field technicians across the province that work with landowners to coordinate tracking and trapping activities and provide tools to partners who work collaboratively on this effort. Squeal on Pigs also has a robust communications and public relations campaign that is ongoing.

“Wild pigs can spread disease and cause serious damage to cropland and natural habitats,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This vitally important campaign, backed by federal and provincial investments under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, will help manage the population of wild pigs and keep our land and livestock safe.”

“Wild pigs pose a significant threat to animal health, environmental health and human health and this program takes critical proactive measures to protect Manitoba’s pork industry,” said Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn. “This important initiative also addresses challenges caused by wild pigs to pastures, forages, crops and other aspects of Manitoba’s agriculture sector.”

Manitobans are asked to report evidence of wild pig sightings or any signs of activity so that movements can be better tracked, and eradication efforts can be furthered, either through squealonpigsmb.org or the 1-833-SPOT-PIG hotline. Manitobans are also being asked not to hunt wild pigs on their own, as hunting disperses wild pig populations over wider areas, changing movement patterns and harming trapping efforts.

The Manitoba Invasive Swine Eradication Project, later rebranded as Squeal on Pigs Manitoba, was announced in January 2022 as a partnership between the Government of Canada, the Province of Manitoba, and Manitoba Pork, through funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The Sustainable CAP is a five-year (2023-2028), $3.5 billion agreement between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.