The Rural Voice, 2002-06, Page 26Pork Congress takes new steps for biosecurity
New concerns for biosecurity
1k, i I I even change procedures
at the Ontario Pork Congress
in Stratford, being held this year on....
June 20 and 21.
The Pork Congress directors
decided to raise awareness about
biosecurity after listening to Dr. Gail
Pauling speak on trade show
biosecurity last fall, says John
Bancroft. OMAF swine grower -
finisher specialist and member of the
organizing committee.
Pauling suggested steps to
improve biosecurity at agricultural
trade shows. For instance, there
should be no live pigs at the show,
she said. As a result, the Pork
Congress will hold its junior barrow
show two weeks earlier than the
main trade show on Saturday, June
8. Participants in the junior barrow
show will be sent information on
biosecurity before they arrive to
make them aware of the importance
of having clean clothing and
footwear. before they go back into
their own barns after the show.
At the trade show itself,
exhibitors will be asked to
thoroughly clean any used
equipment that might be brought to
the show and will be given a list of
recommended disinfectants.
Visitors to the show will see a
display on biosecurity and there will
be take-home information on
practices and disinfectants. Dr.
Pauling herself will be on hand for
several discussions during the two
days of the show.
"The bottom line is that
biosecurity is in everyone's best
interest," says Bancroft. Animal
disease is not going away.
Elsewhere at this year's
Congress, things are going well in
getting the show up and running
again after the cancellation last year
because of fears following the foot
and mouth outbreaks in Britain,
Bancroft says. All inside exhibit
space had been reserved by mid-
May and outside space was filling
up.
This year in an effort to make
sure there is a good attendance both
at the educational events and out on
the floor at the trade show, speakers
will be slotted into one-hour time
frames each afternoon. Thursday,
for instance, Nancy Lidster from
DNL Farms, White Fox,
Saskatchewan will speak and show
videos on better ways of handling
pigs. That talk will take place from
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
On Friday, Dr. David Biesenthal
will speak on "My Walkerton
Experience and How to Prevent it
From Happening on Your Farm".
Dr. Biesenthal's farm on the edge
of Walkerton was in the cenure of
the storm over E. coli infection of
the town's water supply and he'll
give a first-hand account of what he
and his family experienced through
the tragedy and the lessons everyone
else can learn from it. The talk will
take place from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
As well, Dr. Pauling will be
available from 10:00-12:00 both
Thursday and Friday mornings to
answer questions from producers.0
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FAIRGROUNDS
June 20 & 21, 2002
Congratulations
to the
Ontario Pork Congress
on 29 years of service to the Pork Industry!
We are honoured to have been your host!
We extend a warm welcome to all exhibitors and visitors.
Brian Gropp, Manager
20 Glastonbury Drive, Box 901, Stratford, Ontario N5A 6W3
519-271-5130 519-271-5832 1 -800 -717 -FAIR FAX: 519-271-0062
Email: events@stratfordfairgrounds.com Website: www.stratfordfairgrounds.com
22 THE RURAL VOICE