Farmscape for October 30, 2006  (Episode 2288)

Saskatchewan livestock transporters who move hogs are now eligible for a new handling and transportation award.

Last week the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan in partnership with the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board unveiled the new Award of Distinction for Hog Transportation Handling.

To be eligible drivers must have completed the pork industry's Trucker Quality Assurance training and consistently demonstrated exceptional animal care and handling techniques, a solid understanding of animal behavior, and possess the ability to recognize signs of discomfort, dangerous conditions and when an animal shouldn't be transported.

Farm Animal Council executive director Adele Buettner says nomination forms are now available from either organization.

Clip-Adele Buettner-Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan 

The application form requires a 500 word description of the nominee's background, their accomplishments and characteristics that make them a candidate for the hog transportation handling award.

Naturally we're looking for people who are sensitive to animal care issues, who have taken the training for humane transportation and those who may have gone over and above what Sask Pork offers in training and may be familiar with taking training through Nancy Lidster's program of which the Farm Animal Council has sponsored in the past or Temple Grandin's seminars of which again we've sponsored or more recently we've brought in

Richard McConnell who works with Bud Williams on low stress handling and hoping that some of them have taken that additional professional development that has given them that added amount of education to humane transportation.

Buettner says, because a 500 word description of the nominee's background is required, it's expected that those who work closely with the truckers will be the ones to submit nominations.

The deadline is November 15th and all Saskatchewan truckers and organizations directly involved in transporting live hogs are eligible.

The first awards are scheduled for presentation at the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan annual general meeting December 12th in Saskatoon.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council