UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN
Canada's pork industry renews financial investment in USask swine welfare chair

Dr. Yolande Seddon (PhD), an associate professor in swine behaviour and welfare at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), was named the renewed USask Chair in Swine Welfare on Jan. 8 during the annual Banff Pork Seminar in Banff, Alta.

"This is a very special commitment that speaks to the unified engagement of the industry in supporting swine welfare," said Seddon, whose research focuses on the behaviour and welfare of farmed pigs. "A sustainable future for production efficiency and national food security is strengthened by addressing swine welfare challenges and advancing research in this area. This chair position is a major resource for developing a strategic research focus, providing the Canadian swine industry with options for implementing our findings into industry practice."

Dr. Yolande Seddon (PhD) will continue providing strong leadership in swine welfare research and industry expertise. (Photo: USask)

Seddon served as the first Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Industrial Research Chair in Swine Welfare at USask from 2018 to 2024. The $2-million research program was supported by NSERC and 14 industry partners one of the largest partnerships of its kind in Canada.

Fourteen industry partners including 13 of the original funders have extended their financial commitment to swine behaviour and welfare research, renewing a second chair term from 2024 to 2030. Representing Canadian pig producers, processors and veterinarians, the partners include Olymel S.E.C./L.P., Maple Leaf Foods, HyLife Ltd., Conestoga Meat Packers, Sunterra Farms, BC Pork Producers Association (BC Pork), Alberta Pork, Saskatchewan Pork Development Board (Sask Pork), Manitoba Pork Council, Ontario Pork Producers Marketing Board, Porcima Inc. (a company of Les Éleveurs de Porcs du Québec), PEI Hog Commodity Marketing Board, New Brunswick Pork and Swine Veterinary Partners.

Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) also provided $50,000 in support of the USask swine welfare group during the chair's transition period, and it's anticipated that the national research and development organization will make an additional investment in the chair's five-year term.

"This is a significant investment within our industry," said René Roy, chair of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC). "By supporting this critical research, we are not only improving animal welfare but also ensuring that the Canadian pork sector remains a leader in responsible, science-based practices. This investment represents a forward-thinking approach to improving the well-being of pigs and advancing the sustainability of our industry."

More than 7,000 pig farms across Canada produce over 25 million pigs each year for commercial pork production. As the third-largest pork exporter in the world, Canada's swine industry annually generates nearly $5 billion in exports and is a vital contributor to the nation's economic sustainability and growth.

Studies conducted by Seddon and her research team address important welfare challenges, the knowledge of which can be used to help advance sustainable swine farming practices. In her renewed role, Seddon will continue providing strong leadership in swine welfare research and industry expertise.

"Dr. Seddon set out to conduct foundational research that would help Canada's swine industry meet changes addressing animal welfare in all aspects of pork production, and the breadth of work that she and her team have accomplished in the past five years is phenomenal," said Dr. Gillian Muir (DVM, PhD), WCVM dean.

"What's exciting to see is the industry's commitment to this research program and to animal welfare. Renewed industry support means Dr. Seddon and her team have the resources they need for continued research momentum to scientifically assess key questions about swine behaviour and welfare, to help the industry develop practical solutions, and to play a vital role in shaping the future of swine production."

During the chair's first term, Seddon supervised the training of 22 personnel ranging from post-doctoral fellows to PhD students and undergraduate students. She and her research team have produced 21 publications in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters in the last five years. The swine welfare chair's findings have been presented at over 40 industry meetings and conferences, and Seddon and her team members have publicly shared their work through more than 80 media interviews and news articles.  

The research chair's website (swinewelfare.com) and social media channels are also vital tools for sharing knowledge and resources with Canada's swine industry and the public.