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PED found at pig-handling facility

Alberta Pork is reporting a positive test for porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED).The producer association made the announcement in a release late Wednesday. It said the infected sample was found in office space at an undisclosed pig-handling facility in Alberta during routine testing by Alberta Pork and the Alberta government.

Alberta Pork is reporting a positive test for porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED).

The producer association made the announcement in a release late Wednesday. It said the infected sample was found in office space at an undisclosed pig-handling facility in Alberta during routine testing by Alberta Pork and the Alberta government.

A highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs, PED has decimated herds across the United States and infected animals in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island. First reported in Canada in January, it had not previously been detected in Alberta.

No pigs in this province have tested positive for PED, and other samples taken from the facility that produced the positive finding all came back negative. Alberta Pork said it is working with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the facility to investigate.

It’s urging producer to ensure that trucks entering their farms are cleaned, disinfected and dried beforehand; and to take other precautions, like cleaning and disinfecting load-out areas and requiring clean boots and clothing for barn visitors.

Young pigs that contract PED have a very high mortality rate, but experts say the disease is not transmissible to humans and does not pose a risk to food safety.

Alberta Pork will hold a telephone town hall on Friday at 10:30 a.m. Producers and others in the industry can participate by calling 1-877-229-8493 and then entering the PIN 112339 when prompted.