The Canadian Pork Council, working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, provincial pork organizations, swine veterinarians and researchers, has developed a biosecurity guideline and benchmark for voluntary use by producers. Speaking with Farmscape at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2026 in Saskatoon, Ravneet Kaur, the council’s director of national animal health and policy, said the external biosecurity section, which covers keeping disease out, has been published. Internal biosecurity and containment sections are still being developed.
Industry preparedness over the past eight years has focused on African swine fever and is now widening to include foot-and-mouth disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza. Kaur described four areas of work: biosecurity and prevention, planning and preparedness, business continuity, and communications. Producers can get the guideline through their provincial pork organization, such as Sask Pork, or from the Canadian Pork Council.
Why it matters for producers
Foreign animal diseases can carry serious consequences for animal health, production and trade. Reviewing the external guideline with your herd veterinarian is a practical first step, alongside the daily habit of watching how pigs look, eat and behave.
