Swine exporters get less money
Friday, September 14, 2012
by BETTER FARMING STAFF
The Canadian Swine Exporters Association (CSEA) will have to get by with less this year. The organization was granted about $880,000 in funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada this year, far short of the $1.3 million they received for the last fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. This year’s funding, announced Thursday and already being accessed by the CSEA, covers fiscal 2012/13.
Rosemary Smart, executive director of the CSEA, says they will be able to support most of their projects, especially things like foreign trade shows and training programs.
“Basically,” she says, “we will do the same things as former years but some of our marketing development may change a little bit.” Smart says they may have to cut back on some activities. “Maybe not all of our incoming visitors will be funded.”
The CSEA and its members support the promotion of Canadian swine genetics and the sale of breeding stock and fresh and frozen semen worldwide. Smart says the activities of the CSEA results in annual export revenue for Canada of $30 to $40 million.
While she says the CSEA asked for more money, they understand that there are government cutbacks. Besides, Smart says, “more associations are going to Agriculture Canada for funding and they’ve got to share it amongst everyone.”
So far this year, the CSEA has participated in the China Animal Husbandry Expo in May at the Nanjing International ExpoCentre. They are planning to attend the Euro Tier show in November in Hanover, Germany, billed as “the world’s leading exhibition for animal husbandry and management.”
The CSEA also provides financial assistance to foreign visitors from Asia, Europe and Latin America, an activity that Smart says goes on year round. “They take farm tours, they visit universities and have lessons in record keeping, animal husbandry and artificial insemination.”
CSEA funding is provided by the AgriMarketing Program under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Growing Forward program. BF