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Scrapie Funding Announced for Canadian Sheep Industry
For
immediate release
November 10, 2004 – Guelph, ON – The federal government has
announced over $1.5 million for two scrapie initiatives; a Voluntary Scrapie
Flock Certification Program (VSFCP) and a genotyping program.
The VSFCP is a pilot project through which 60 sheep and 10 goat producers
can choose one of three approaches to managing the risk of scrapie in
their flocks. The program will be administered by the Ontario Sheep Marketing
Agency.
A demographic survey of scrapie resistance in the Canadian sheep flock
will be achieved through the implementation of the Genotyping program.
The funding provided by the government will allow for the genotyping of
about 60% of Canada’s purebred breeding flock. Producer extension
to utilize the information in breeding programs will also be provided.
"This is great news for the Canadian sheep industry" says Jonathan
Wort, President of the Canadian Sheep Breeders Association. "It moves
us closer to achieving a more competitive and equal trading status with
the US, and the rest of the world. This is also a good example of what
can be achieved when the industry and government work together."
These two initiatives are the cornerstone of a comprehensive national
scrapie strategy. Coupled with the addition of active surveillance for
scrapie, which is anticipated to be introduced in 2005, the Canadian sheep
industry will have a complete program that can be used to tackle scrapie
with the long-term objective of reaching disease freedom.
Scrapie is a fatal disease that affects the central nervous system of
sheep and goats. It is what is known as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy
(TSE). Other TSEs include bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle
and chronic wasting disease in deer and elk.
The Canadian Sheep Federation is a national, non-profit organization that
represents all Canadian sheep producers. Its mission is further the viability,
expansion and prosperity of the Canadian sheep and wool industry.
For more information contact the Canadian Sheep Federation at 1-888-684-7739
or cansheep@cansheep.ca.
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