Manitoba Pork op-ed – Cam Dahl

The name January is derived from the Roman god Janus. Janus was said to have two faces, one looking forward and one looking back. It is an appropriate metaphor for the month where we can look back at the year that was and anticipate the year to come.   If there is such a thing as a good disease year in the hog sector, 2024 was it. Given historical patterns, we expected to see new cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) this past spring. That did not materialize. While we did not make it though 2024 PED free, the first case did not show up until December. This is not an accident. Manitoba’s hog farmers, our government, veterinarians, and processors came together to develop a comprehensive plan to eradicate PED. The “Manitoba model” is a 2024 success story – one that is being considered throughout North America and is a testament to what can be done through collaboration.  On the economic front, 2024 was a year of relief for hog farmers in Manitoba, with margins coming back to where t