Alberta pig farmer starts over a year after H1N1

May 3, 2010 — 

An Alberta pig farmer who destroyed his herd last June after it was infected with the H1N1 influenza virus one year ago has started over and is now shipping animals again.

Arnold Van Ginkel's herd of 2,200 pigs near Rocky Mountain House, Alta., was placed under quarantine by Canadian authorities last April after the animals were infected with the flu virus.

Officials believe the pigs caught the illness from a worker who had just returned from Mexico.

Early last June, Van Ginkel voluntarily destroyed the herd to save his business.

"I know a lot of other producers ... they probably would have quit," he said this week. "But for me, that was not an option, 'cause I'm a farmer."

First, Van Ginkel completely cleaned his barns. Then, with the help of the federal and provincial governments, he started to rebuild his herd when he got his first pigs in August. He now has 2,800.

"You start breeding and slowly you're getting more and more busy. And almost one and a half months ago, then we started shipping again."

While Van Ginkel doesn't regret destroying his animals, he wishes the government had helped provide funding much sooner.

One year after his herd was infected, Van Ginkel says the H1N1 outbreak couldn't have been prevented. But these days, he restricts who gets access to his pig barns to ensure the source of his livelihood isn't wiped out by disease.

"Before ... I was a little bit easier when somebody wanted [to] go in the barn," he said. "But right now, it's only when it's really necessary."

Source:
CBC, April 29, 2010