Alberta Pork is safe to eat

For the Calgary Herald May 17, 2009

The protection of human health is pork's industry's first priority

The Canadian Food and Inspection Agency(CFIA) announced May 2, 2009 that
one hog farm in Alberta was quarantined after the H1N1 flu virus was
detected in some of the pigs.

None of the hogs from the infected herd have gone to market. Strict food
safety standards and protocols are in place at the heart of the pork
industry. Along with the proper regulations, these practices prevent
meat from any sick animal from entering the food chain.

Only healthy animals are allowed into the food chain

Ill or injured animals are left at the farm prior to shipment and
further inspection takes place at the processing facility. All hogs in
Canada sent to federally and provincially-inspected processing plants
are checked by government veterinarians and inspectors to ensure the
animals are healthy and the meat is safe. Unhealthy animals are never
allowed into the Canadian food chain.

Hog farmers are diligent about ensuring the health of their livestock
and the safety of consumers by participating in on-farm food safety
programs. Caring for pigs involves many skills, most importantly the
ability to understand their behaviour. Producers carefully observe and
inspect their pigs each day in order to identify those that are sick or
disadvantaged so they can be given appropriate treatment where
necessary. They also ensure that pigs are given the right amount of feed
and that they have fresh, clean water at all times.

Strict health and safety practices help to control disease

Pig producers also go to great lengths to protect their herds and
practice a number of disease prevention measures. Referred to as
biosecurity, these disease prevention efforts protect herd health by
preventing the transmission of diseases from outside the farm.
Maintaining a high herd health status is important not only to
individual producers but to the industry as a whole.

To prevent infection or illness from coming on to their farms, new pigs
are kept in a quarantine facility for a month, to ensure there are no
health concerns. Extensive measures are taken to keep wild animals, bird
and vermin out of hog barns. And any truck collecting pigs from a farm
has to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and cannot be carrying any
pigs from other farms.

Farmers also stay away from their own hog herds for a 48-hour period
after coming in contact with pigs other than their own. In addition to
regular hand washing, farmers shower before entry and upon exit of a hog
barn. Most barns are equipped with special shower facilities and special
clothing to be worn only within the barn. Visitors to farms are kept to
a minimum, and visitor logs used.

Producers, veterinarians, industry bodies such as Alberta Pork together
with the provincial and federal governments, are committed to ensuring
that proper biosecurity protocols are in place at Alberta hog farms.
And, in light of the H1N1 virus, producers are increasingly vigilant
about hog barn security, redoubling their efforts to actively survey the
health of herds to detect any signs of illness.

Our pork industry's on-farm food safety program works

Canadian hog farmers participate in the Canadian Quality Assurance (CQA)
program, an on-farm food safety program. The CQA gives consumers greater
confidence in pork products by showing what producers do on their farms
each and every day to ensure high quality and safety.

Validated by licensed veterinarians, the CQA is based on good science
and is built on internationally recognized safety principles. The CQA
sets out strict standards regarding on-farm food safety, and ensures
extensive record keeping.

Pork producers identify potential hazards that could arise in their
operations, and then put controls in place to reduce and eliminate those
hazards. It's a proactive approach that puts consumer safety first.
Experience shows that it works.

Pork is safe to eat

As stated by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the H1N1 virus is not a
food safety concern.

Consumers cannot catch the H1N1 flu virus from consuming or handling
pork products. Pork and pork products are safe to eat. Thanks to
extensive safety standards and the hard work of Canada's hog farmers,
Canadians can have confidence in the high-quality pork that makes it to
their plates.

(c) Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald