Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada launches African Swine Fever prevention and preparedness program

Nov 16, 2022

OTTAWA, ON, - The eligible organizations can apply for funding under the Government of Canada's African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program (ASFIPP). The $23.4 million program is designed to help Canada's pork industry prepare for the possibility of African swine fever (ASF) entering the country.

Funding for the new program was set aside in August 2022 to support projects such as biosecurity assessments and improvements, wild pig management, the retrofit of existing abattoirs, sector analysis and ASF-related research projects.

Applications from academic institutions, associations, businesses, Indigenous groups, and provincial/territorial/municipal governments will be accepted until November 30, 2023, and the funding will be distributed over two years. Program information and details on how to apply can be found on AAFC's website: Agricultural programs and services.

ASF is a fatal swine disease that spreads through both direct and indirect contact with infected pigs, pork, and pork by-products. No case has ever been found in Canada. Since 2018, however, ASF has spread across parts of Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. The ASF virus cannot be transmitted to humans, and is not a food safety risk. But a single case of ASF in Canada would immediately result in the closure of Canada's borders to pork exports, which accounts for 70 per cent of Canadian pork production.

Canada is recognized as an international leader when it comes to preventing and controlling the spread of foreign animal diseases into and within the country. This new program, combined with close collaboration among domestic and international partners, demonstrates the federal government's continued leadership in preventing and preparing for ASF.

Source : Newswire.ca

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.