Released on June 8, 2015
Today, the federal and provincial governments launched the new online Saskatchewan Premises Identification (PID) Database to improve the response to and prevention of livestock emergencies."Strategic investments in livestock traceability give Canadian producers and the entire value chain the competitive edge they need to access markets around the world,” Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said.
“The benefits of the Premises Identification Database are far-reaching,” Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart said. “Knowing where our province’s livestock is located allows us to be more effective in handling everything from flooding to disease outbreak.”
The PID program links livestock and poultry to specific land locations by assigning a unique number to each registered premises, and is an important part of planning for and managing animal health and environmental emergencies. The database will aid in rapidly notifying producers of disease threats and other potential disasters, as well as in dispatching emergency resources to appropriate locations.
PID is one of three pillars of a livestock traceability system, which also includes animal identification and animal movement reporting. The PID program has seen significant support from Saskatchewan’s livestock industry. To date, approximately 1,400 producers have registered. Commodity groups have also worked with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture to complete the registration of their members.
“We see the Premises Identification Database as being a great benefit to our producers,” Sask Pork Chairman Florian Possberg said. “With diseases like Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea having the potential to devastate our swine herds, our industry is doing everything it can to prevent or lessen an outbreak. The fact all of our producer members have already registered speaks to the importance of this tool.”
“I encourage all cattle producers to register with the database,” Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association President Doug Gillespie said. “It is important to be able to respond to emergencies or disease concerns quickly, and this database will ensure our industry is able to respond in a timely manner.”
“I see the database as being instrumental in maintaining the strength of the cattle sector,” Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association Chair Bill Jameson said. “If all of the producers in our sector register, we’ll be better prepared to respond to livestock emergencies quickly and effectively.”
Registration for the PID program can be completed online at http://premisesid.saskatchewan.ca. There are no costs associated with registering a premises, and producers’ information will only be used in the event of an emergency.
The PID program is funded through Growing Forward 2, a cost-shared partnership between federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments designed to support an innovative, competitive and profitable Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. Saskatchewan’s database was based off of a model provided by the Government of Alberta.
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For more information, contact:
Sarah Hein
Agriculture
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5389
Email: sarah.hein@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-527-9102
Jeff English
Office of Gerry Ritz
Phone: 613-773-1059
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa
Phone: 613-773-7972