Released on May 4, 2000
A new monitoring and surveillance program announced in the provincial budgetwill help livestock producers continue to ensure their animals are marketable
provincially, nationally and internationally.
"In Saskatchewan, we need to build on our reputation of producing world-class
food by ensuring that everything we produce is of the highest quality," Deputy
Premier and Agriculture and Food Minister Dwain Lingenfelter said.
"As consumers become more aware of food safety issues related to animal
diseases, trading partners and buyers are demanding that imported animals and
products are free of certain diseases. We have created this program to ensure
that Saskatchewan livestock producers are properly equipped to meet
increasingly stringent requirements."
The Saskatchewan Livestock Monitoring and Disease Surveillance Program will
work with farmers to develop procedures to control diseases such as Johne's
disease, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), Equine Infectious Anemia, and Bovine
Virus Diarrhea in Saskatchewan livestock and to demonstrate to our customers
that Saskatchewan herds are healthy.
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, in co-operation with Prairie Diagnostic
Services, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA), Saskatchewan veterinarians and other interest groups, will also
develop a database on diseases, perform surveillance and monitoring, and
conduct scientific research. The information will be used to help improve the
health status of Saskatchewan livestock.
The Saskatchewan Livestock Monitoring and Disease Surveillance Program is one
of several initiatives announced in the provincial budget to support the
agriculture and food industry.
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Louise Greenberg
Director, Inspection and Regulatory Management Branch
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-6423
e-mail address:lgreenberg@agr.gov.sk.ca