Brandon – The governments of Canada and Manitoba are providing financial support to Manitoba Pork’s Squeal on Pigs campaign, part of Manitoba’s commitment under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, and provincial Minister of Agriculture, Ron Kostyshyn, announced today.
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.
The goal of the Squeal on Pigs campaign is to identify where wild pigs are in Manitoba, control their spread and remove as many pigs as possible from the landscape. 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.
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.
“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.” – Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food