Page 8 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Pork CRC chairman Dennis Mutton delivered Pork CRC’s 2016/17 results at its 2017 Stakeholders’ Day in Melbourne.
Productive Pork CRC for all to see
THOUGH approaching its wind-up phase, the Cooperative Research Centre for High Integ- rity Australian Pork had another very productive
year in 2016/17 in terms of research outcomes and raising the capability of researchers supporting the industry, including industry itself taking on employees through Pork CRC’s acclaimed indus- try placement program.
In his 2016/17 chair- man’s report, released to Pork CRC participants at its annual Stakeholders’ Day in Melbourne on No- vember 18, Dennis Mutton acknowledged the impor- tance of not only having great research outcomes but also the capacity to put results into practice along the value chain was critical to success.
“With ongoing plan- ning in place, this situa- tion should not and will not be compromised as the industry continues to face productivity and sus- tainability challenges in a
market environment with strong competition from other domestic protein producers and imported product,” he said.
“It is very important that research and innovation effort does not tail off as we come to the end of the term of the CRC.
“We have just completed contractual arrangements for the last significant in- vestment call and projects have commenced.”
These projects, which will run for up to 15 months, need to be com- pleted by September 30, 2018, to allow for the timely wind-up of the CRC in June 2019.
Mr Mutton explained there would still be op- portunities for short-term innovation projects to be funded and conducted during this same period.
“The message is we
don’t want to miss op- portunities to deliver solu- tions for the pork industry and plan B is alive and well developed,” he said.
“The organisation that fostered the formation of the first Pork CRC, Aus- tralasian Pork Research Institute Ltd, has been re- juvenated as the mechan- ism to carry on a signifi- cant investment of funds to deliver high-priority research outcomes.
“Industry’s hunger for answers to their chal- lenges has not abated and APRIL will be in a posi- tion to complement work funded by Australian Pork Limited to deliver more for the benefit of indus- try.”
The first call for projects via APRIL will be early in 2018, with the objec- tive of commissioning re- search by the middle of that year.
Basically 12 months before the close of Pork CRC operations, this en- sures the continuity of the current level of research and support opportunities for relevant researchers
during the wind-down. “During this period, Pork CRC and its program leaders will work to final- ise research projects and disseminate the results to industry,” Mr Mutton
said.
In his 2016/17 report to
participants and stake- holders, Pork CRC CEO Roger Campbell said research in all four pro- grams remained active, with some potentially system-changing projects under way.
“I think the active pro- jects across the programs are as exciting as I’ve seen in the past 10 years,” Dr Campbell said.
“Our researchers and students understand the needs of Pork CRC and the industry.
“They continue to chal- lenge how we do busi- ness and without their ideas and dedication to research, the progress we’ve made in differen- tiating the industry and developing high-integrity Australian pork would not have been achieved.”
www.porkcrc.com.au
IMPROVE SOW BEHAVIOUR.
ADD A BLOCK TO THE MIX.
Pork industry signs
off on third-party
auditing scheme
Minimise harmful behaviour
Adding a SOWBLOCK to the pen gives sows an opportunity to forage and explore. This results in less biting and scratching, particularly while sows are establishing their social hierarchy.
“With SOWBLOCK,
injuries have been
reduced by up to 44%”. 1
1. Mean number of fresh scratch injuries scored on Day 3 after mixing control sows and sows treated with SOWBLOCK (Pork CRC funded Commercialisation Project).
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“In test pens, sows spent 46% more time laying down and
72% less time chasing”. 2
2. Effect of higher feed levels or addition of SOWBLOCK to group housed gestational sows behaviour in the first four days post mixing
(Pork CRC Project 1C-115).
THE Australian Pork Industry Quality Assur- ance Program will be moving to third-party auditing services from January 1, 2018, with the Australian Pork Limited Board recently signing off on the change.
The change to third- party auditing is aligned with industry require- ments of a robust and credible quality assur- ance program with on- farm compliance verified through an independent audit system.
Regular auditing of quality-assured produc- ers will now be conducted by AUS-MEAT, with a smooth transition expect- ed to reduce the impact on producers currently APIQP certified.
Producers are no longer required to organise their own audits, instead AUS- MEAT will contact pro- ducers to schedule their audit.
The APIQP Panel will continue to review stand- ards and policies, partici- pate in incident investi- gations and issues and oversee critical corrective actions.
Producers will continue to participate in work- ing groups and reviews of standards, policies and practices as owners of the program.
Prior to the approval of third-party auditing there was an extensive review of compliance audit services and an assessment of the impact of moving to third- party auditing by APIQP management.
This was completed in consultation with produc- ers, delegates, the APIQP Panel, the APL Quality Assurance and Animal Welfare Committee, APL Board and associated stakeholders.
APL CEO Mr Andrew
Spencer said, “This is a significant change to the audit processes for our industry but the Board believes this change is necessary to ensure APIQP audit services are robust, credible and sustainable into the fu- ture.”
“The Australian Pork Industry Quality Assur- ance Program is about enhancing the reputation of the Australian pork in- dustry as a reliable sup- plier of safe, healthy and wholesome pork.
“We heard concerns from our producers and the general public, and we have acted.
“We are committed to a responsible, sustainable pork industry.”
Mr Spencer said this means improving effi- ciency for producers and continuing to look for bet- ter ways to do things.
“It also means being ac- countable to consumers of our product,” he said.
“Today’s consumers are more aware and con- cerned about animal wel- fare and food safety.
“They require greater assurance from industry on these issues.
“That’s what APIQP provides.”
Managing a piggery ac- cording to the APIQP Program provides assur- ance that the product has met the highest standards for food safety, animal welfare, biosecurity and traceability, as well as good agricultural practice in managing pigs.
APIQPremains indus- try owned and continues to be managed and ad- ministered by APIQM on the industry’s behalf.
APL, as the national rep- resentative body of pork producers, is the owner and managing agent of the APIQP program.
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Page 8 – Australian Pork Newspaper, December 2017
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