Int’l - US Swine Handling Program Set to Begin in April in Saskatchewan

A swine handling training program developed for the US pork industry will soon be offered in Western Canada. The Trucker Quality Assurance Program was developed by the US pork industry to teach those involved in the trucking industry the best methods for transporting live hogs. The program, which was introduced in the US in 2002, is being offered by Sask Pork to truckers in Saskatchewan beginning later this month. National Pork Board Certification Programs Manager Erik Risa says the program covers a series of steps. "The TQA mission statement is to educate US producers, handlers and truckers on the importance of proper handling, loading and transporting of pigs with special attention to biosecurity and animal welfare to optimize quality pork products for consumers. We're trying to provide an optimal pork product because we know consumers always have that as a top of mind priority but we want to do it in way that's paying attention to animal welfare. This is an educational process that also takes it one step further by providing an assessment, which is an exam. A driver who's interested in becoming certified attends a training course and then, following that, needs to take and pass an examination to show that they've achieved certification. The Trucker Quality Assurance Program is one that was originally aimed for drivers of hogs but it focuses and the aim continues to grow to all those who are impacting the hog's well being, including those that are driving the animals to the harvesting facilities but as well as those who handle the hogs on a daily basis." Risa says most US packers now require drivers who enter their facilities to be recognized and over 10 thousand have been certified. He says, since the TQA program was introduced in 2002, the condition of live hogs has steadily improved.