Creating an organization that would seize new opportunities on developments that are taking place in the field of swine genomics was first proposed at a Canadian swine industry genomics workshop held in Banff, Alberta in January 2009. This was followed by another workshop in February 2009, where major swine genetics suppliers founded PigGen Canada, a not-for-profit organization modeled after Bioporc in France and DairyGen in Canada.
PigGen Canada's objectives are two fold: firstly to represent the Canadian swine genetics industry with a single voice, and secondly to develop strategies and support for Canadian swine genetics research in concert with the priorities of the Canadian pork industry.
PigGen Canada was incorporated on June 23, 2009. The organization has been reaching out to other organizations in the swine industry by consulting with the Canadian Pork Council on the traceability initiative, participating on the Canadian Swine Health Board advisory committees, working with the dairy industry to encourage support for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Animal Genomics (ATAG) position paper submitted to Genome Canada and giving presentations at various industry meetings. Contacts have also been established with research organizations in the United States and Europe who have expressed interest in research collaboration.
The 11 founding member organizations of PigGen Canada are: Alliance Genetics, Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI), Canadian Swine Breeders Association (CSBA), Designed Genetics, Fast Genetics, Genesus, Génétiporc, Hypor Canada, La Coop fédérée, PIC Canada and Topigs Canada. Independent breeders across Canada are represented through the CSBA and CCSI, while the larger Canadian companies and multinationals are participating directly as members. PigGen Canada includes virtually all the swine genetic suppliers which have an active Canadian based nucleus development program.
PigGen Canada's main research priorities include: health and disease resistance, meat quality and lean meat deposition, sow lifetime productivity, production efficiency and animal welfare. The organization will fund research that will provide practical and relatively quick benefits to the Canadian swine breeding industry. Research being considered will require $50,000 - $250,000 in annual industry contributions from members. PigGen Canada's cash contribution to research projects will be provided in part by the annual membership fee paid by members. It is anticipated that these funds could provide seed money for research projects and the organization intends to have a call for research proposals at least once a year. Additional cash contributions from members will support larger projects which will be developed and directed by PigGen Canada.
The first project being considered is in the top priority area of health and disease resistance. In this regard, PigGen Canada has been actively involved with and supporting the efforts of the Canadian Swine Health Board (CSHB). Genetic resistance to diseases is recognized by the CSHB as an important tool for long term disease risk management. PigGen Canada and the CSHB are partnering in a planning session to develop a research program focusing on the genetics of swine health. This planning session will be September 8-10, 2010 and will involve outside scientific expertise in addition to PigGen Canada and CSHB representatives.
PigGen Canada has also agreed to provide financial and in-kind support for two recently approved Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Science Cluster Projects involving genetics. Furthermore PigGen Canada is directly involved in a project proposal with the University of Alberta and the United States Department of Agriculture to the Alberta Livestock Genomics Program focusing on the genetics of PRRS. Letters of support have been provided for two other swine health and traceability proposals to the Alberta Livestock Genomics Program. Finally PigGen Canada has been very active in building support and also in development of a Genome Canada proposal focusing on swine health. PigGen Canada's first year has been very busy and there have already been concrete developments supporting the two PigGen Canada objectives mentioned above.