Canadian Pork Council

What Canadian Pork Council does

Canadian Pork Council is a non-profit industry federation founded in 1966 and headquartered in Ottawa, serving as the recognized national voice of Canada's hog production sector. It represents approximately 7,000 hog farms through its nine member provincial pork associations, with a small core staff (1–10 employees) supplemented by specialized affiliates including Canada Pork International (export market development) and the Swine Health Information Centre.

The Council's primary product is the Canadian Pork Excellence (CPE) platform, an umbrella assurance system that bundles four national programs: PigTRACE for traceability of live hog movements, PigSAFE for on-farm food safety, PigCARE for animal care, and PigLEARN for producer training and education. It also operates the Hog Price Calculator and administers disease surveillance and biosecurity research initiatives, including a $1.6 million African Swine Fever surveillance project with the Université de Montréal and a partner cluster managing more than $18.5 million in cumulative research investment.

CPC's revenue model is non-commercial and built on three pillars: membership dues from the nine provincial associations, a national check-off administered via the Pork Promotion and Research Agency established in 2020, and project-based funding from federal programs (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, NSERC) and industry research clusters. Documented multi-year federal grants since 2018 exceed $72 million in aggregate, with the largest single allocation being a $45.3 million ASF preparedness commitment in 2022. The Council does not sell commercial products or services; its economic output is the collective representation, trade access, and assurance infrastructure it delivers on behalf of Canadian pork producers.

Name

Canadian Pork Council

Legal name

Canadian Pork Council

Website

https://cpc-ccp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Canadian Pork Council is a non-profit federation of nine provincial pork associations representing approximately 7,000 hog farms across Canada. It delivers the Canadian Pork Excellence platform (PigTRACE, PigSAFE, PigCARE, PigLEARN), trade advocacy, and federal program administration on behalf of Canadian hog producers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Industry Association / Pork Industry Federation

NAICS

Hog and Pig Farming (112210), Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN), Food Safety & Veterinary Public Health (Meat/Milk Inspection) (HLAMAJAJ)

Keywords

• Hog producer advocacy
• National pork federation
• Livestock traceability
• On-farm food safety
• Animal care assurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Industry Membership Dues: The CPC is funded through its nine provincial pork industry association members, which in turn represent thousands of individual hog producers across Canada. Revenue is derived from producer-level contributions and provincial organization dues.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Canadian Pork Council is a national federation of nine provincial pork industry associations representing approximately 7,000 hog farms across Canada. It delivers national on-farm assurance programs through the Canadian Pork Excellence platform (PigTRACE traceability, PigSAFE food safety, PigCARE animal care, PigLEARN training), conducts federal advocacy on trade, animal health, and sustainability, and coordinates industry-wide responses to issues such as African swine fever prevention. The CPC does not sell commercial products; its value flows to producers through policy advocacy, market access, and standardized assurance programs.

Product overview

The Canadian Pork Council operates as a unified platform with multiple integrated programs. Its core offering is the Canadian Pork Excellence (CPE) platform, which combines PigTRACE (national traceability), PigSAFE (food safety), PigCARE (animal care), and PigLEARN (training resources) into a comprehensive on-farm assurance system. Additional offerings include African Swine Fever prevention resources, the Hog Price Calculator tool, and advocacy resources for trade and policy matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PigTRACE: National pig traceability program administered by CPC for identifying and tracking pigs through the production chain
• Canadian Pork Excellence
• PigSAFE
• PigCARE

Products and services

• Canadian Pork Excellence (CPE) A national on-farm program for hog producers that encompasses food safety, animal care, and traceability requirements through its component programs PigTRACE, PigSAFE, PigCARE, and PigLEARN.
• PigTRACE The national pig traceability program that tracks premises identification, animal identification through tags and tattoos, and movement reporting to quickly manage disease outbreaks.
• PigSAFE On-farm food safety assurance program that enables producers to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable and safe pork production.
• PigCARE On-farm animal care assurance program that demonstrates producers' commitment to responsible animal welfare practices.
• PigLEARN Training and education platform providing factsheets, training videos, and resources for pork producers on biosecurity, euthanasia, transportation, and other best practices.
• Hog Price Calculator Online tool that allows producers to calculate hog pricing based on market indicators.
• African Swine Fever Prevention Program Industry-wide program providing resources, news, training, and coordination to prevent African swine fever from entering and impacting the Canadian pig industry, including printables, news updates, virus information, and prevention actions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Secured $45.3 million government investment in African swine fever prevention (2022)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island (AVCDS)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2018Partnered with CPC on a $1.6 million research project to improve disease surveillance. The 'Enteric viral multiplex assay for swine health surveillance in Canada' project provides a comprehensive test to laboratories to help veterinarians and producers manage the Canadian hog herd. Data from this project informs CSHIN surveillance activities.
• Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians (CASV/ACVP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2018The Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network (CSHIN) is co-funded by the CPC and the CASV. This collaboration improves swine health and disease surveillance nationally. Dr. Christa Arsenault was appointed Manager of CSHIN in 2018, succeeding Dr. Chris Byra. CASV was founded in 2003 and represents veterinarians in private practice, industry, academia, and government with a special interest in swine.
• HyLife FoodsminorOthers · 10 March 2017HyLife Foods was recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as a winner of the 2017 Employer Awards for Newcomer Employment for its work helping newcomers to Canada find and retain jobs. HyLife's Claude Vielfaure is a member of the CPC Board of Directors, representing Manitoba.
• Canada Pork International (CPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI is the export promotion agency of the Canadian pork industry, established in 1991. CPC and CPI work closely together on international market access, trade advocacy, and the Verified Canada Pork brand. CPI's membership includes national and provincial hog producer associations plus federally registered pork processing establishments and trading companies representing nearly 99% of Canadian pork exports. CPC and CPI regularly coordinate on trade missions, government consultations, and responses to market access issues (e.g., China export suspensions).
• Swine Innovation PorccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwine Innovation Porc facilitates research and development in the Canadian swine sector from an office in Quebec City. Its main objective is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of Canada's pork industry by supporting innovative technologies for the pork value chain. CPC is a key partner in Swine Innovation Porc's activities and co-funds research programs including Swine Cluster 3 (up to $18.5 million investment over 5 years).
• Provincial Pork Producer AssociationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CPC is a federation of nine provincial pork industry associations: BC Pork, Alberta Pork, Saskatchewan Pork, Manitoba Pork, Ontario Pork, Les Éleveurs de porcs du Québec, and Maritimes Pork (representing New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island). These provincial associations represent individual hog producers who are the CPC's ultimate constituents.
• Université de MontréalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding was announced for a Université de Montréal project to develop a more advanced disease surveillance tool to enable faster threat detection across Canada. Part of the $1.6 million federal investment in disease surveillance for the Canadian pork sector.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CPC works continuously with AAFC on key files including African swine fever prevention, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience clusters, AgriAssurance, AgriMarketing programs, and the establishment of a Pork Promotion and Research Agency. AAFC provides significant funding for CPC's programs (e.g., $6.1 million for Canadian Pork Excellence in 2019) and research investments.
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CPC collaborates with CFIA on PigTRACE program requirements, ear tag approvals, and movement reporting regulations. CFIA is the regulatory authority that approves animal identification indicators for pig traceability and works with CPC on resolving export certification and health mark label issues (e.g., for EU CETA compliance).
• Farm Products Council of CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Farm Products Council of Canada completed its formal review of the CPC's proposal for a Pork Promotion and Research Agency in 2016, concluding that an agency should be established. The CPC continues to advocate for government to take the necessary steps to establish the agency, which would provide producers with a new source of industry funds for promotion and research.
• Animal Health CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CPC participates in Animal Health Canada, a collaborative body bringing together government agencies and industry organizations to address animal health challenges including African swine fever preparedness, surveillance, and response planning.
• Pork Value Chain RoundtablemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pork Value Chain Roundtable is a national industry body working on sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment of Canada's pork industry. CPC participates in its activities related to environmental performance tracking and carbon footprint benchmarking.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Pork Board: U.S. checkoff-funded organization for pork promotion, research, and consumer education. Closely parallel to CPC's promotional and research coordination mandate, particularly through Canada Pork International.
• Pork Checkoff (Canada-side: Canada Pork International): Canada Pork International is the export promotion agency of the Canadian pork industry and a core CPC partner. Functions as the closest operational sibling to the U.S. National Pork Board.
• National Pork Producers Council: U.S. national advocacy organization representing hog producers on federal policy, trade, and animal health. Most direct global counterpart to CPC in mission, structure, and function.

Broad incumbents

• Maple Leaf Foods: Canada's largest pork processor and branded pork producer. While commercial, it is a key industry stakeholder the CPC represents at the policy level and a downstream link in the value chain CPC supports.
• UECBV (European Livestock & Meat Trades Union): European-level federation representing livestock and meat trade associations across the EU. Comparable as a broader geographic federation engaging in trade policy and animal health advocacy.
• HyLife Foods: Canadian pork processor and exporter with direct board representation on the CPC. Represents an integrated pork production company that the CPC's traceability and quality programs directly support.

Regional players

• NZ Pork: New Zealand pork industry organization representing producers, with comparable advocacy, research, and animal welfare platforms. Smaller-scale but directly comparable organizational model.
• British Pork Association: U.K. pig producer association with analogous advocacy, welfare, and traceability programs. Provides a European-regional comparison point for the CPC's national scope.
• Australian Pork Limited: Australian national pork industry body representing producers, funded by statutory levies, with similar focus on research, marketing, and policy advocacy. Geo-mirror to CPC in a different market.

Others

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Federal department that provides the majority of CPC's program funding and policy partnership. Not a peer in commercial sense but the most important institutional counterpart shaping CPC's mandate and resources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cdnpork
• Facebookfacebook.com/Canadian-Pork-Council-1426915984243020
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-pork-council-conseil-canadien-du-porc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Pork Council