The governments of Canada and Manitoba are providing financial support to Manitoba Pork’s Squeal on Pigs campaign as part of Manitoba’s commitment under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay said Tuesday, “Wild pigs can spread disease and cause serious damage to cropland and natural habitats. 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.”
As part of ongoing efforts by the Manitoba government to address invasive swine, the program will receive over $2.6 million of funding through Sustainable CAP. The Squeal on Pigs campaign is designed to help spread awareness of the significant issue of invasive wild pigs on Manitoba’s landscape and empowers Manitobans to spot wild pigs and report their movement.
Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn said, “Left unchecked, wild pigs pose a threat to the health of people and animals, and this program takes critical proactive measures to protect Manitobans and the province’s pork industry. This important initiative also addresses challenges caused by wild pigs to pastures, forages, crops and other parts of Manitoba’s agriculture sector.”
The goal of the campaign is to identify where wild pigs are in Manitoba, control their spread and remove as many pigs as possible from the landscape, added the ministers. This campaign is a collaborative program between Manitoba Pork, Manitoba Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Manitoba Economic Development, Industry, Trade and Natural Resources, as well as with other local and national organizations who have a stake in this issue. It is an important part of government and industry’s efforts to reduce transmission of animal diseases that could cause significant economic damage to Manitoba’s livestock industry.
“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 co-ordinator, Squeal on Pigs Manitoba. “Together with our partners in both the federal and provincial governments, as well as our partners in Manitoba’s agricultural sector and stakeholders across the province, this new funding will help us further our efforts to track, trap and remove wild pigs from the landscape and protect our province.”
Manitobans are asked to report evidence of wild pig sightings or any signs of activity so that movements can be better tracked. Manitobans should not hunt wild pigs on their own, as hunting disperses wild pig populations over wider areas, changing movement patterns and harming control efforts, the ministers added.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sectors. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment 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.
For more information on Squeal on Pigs campaign, visit Squeal On Pigs | Wild pigs are widespread in Manitoba (squealonpigsmb.org)
