Canada - U.S. Agree to Recognize Animal Disease Zoning

Jan 17, 2013

Canada and US to Recognize Zoning Measures in Cases of Animal Disease Outbreaks

Canadian Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced on Wednesday that Canada and the United States have agreed to recognize one another’s zoning measures in cases of foreign animal disease outbreaks.

While foreign animal disease outbreaks are rare, this new agreement will help mitigate trade disruptions while maintaining measures to prevent spread of disease.

The new arrangement will outline an agreed-upon process and set of conditions for the zoning recognition. This framework will involve extensive consultation with various stakeholders, including states, provinces and industry groups.

This announcement follows a commitment that was made in Dec. 2011 under the Joint Action Plan of the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council – which seeks to work towards enhancing the two countries’ regulations.

Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.