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Canada advances African swine fever preparedness with new zoning arrangement with Japan

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Tuesday at 12:07pm ADT · June 16, 2026 5 min read

OTTAWA, ON, June 16, 2026 /CNW/ – The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food is pleased to announce the Government of Canada has successfully established an African swine fever (ASF) zoning arrangement with Japan. This agreement is a significant step in Canada’s ongoing preparedness efforts, helping maintain access to this important market while supporting measures to contain and limit the spread of disease and protect animal health.

Under the new arrangement, pork exports to Japan will continue from ASF-freezones, even if the disease is present elsewhere in Canada. This provision is critical for maintaining trade with Japan – a key market for Canadian pork. In 2025, Canada exports of pork and pork products to Japan valued at approximately $1.8 billion, accounting for 31% of export values.

Although Canada remains free of ASF, the disease continues to spread globally. ASF is not a risk to human health or food safety, but it is highly contagious and fatal for pigs. An outbreak in Canada would have serious consequences for the pork sector, affecting animal health, producers, supply chains, and the broader economy.

Proactively securing zoning arrangements is an important part of Canada’s preparedness plan. This work reflects sustained technical collaboration and ongoing engagement between all levels of the Japanese and Canadian governments. It enables a science-based, internationally recognized approach to maintaining safe trade during an outbreak, helping mitigate disruption to pork trade and supporting food security.

With the addition of Japan, Canada now has ASF zoning arrangements in place with eight markets: the United States, the European Union, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines and Japan. Together, these markets represent nearly 69% of Canada’s pork export value, helping to maintain market access and strengthen resilience across the sector.

Quotes

“Securing this zoning arrangement with Japan is an important step in protecting Canada’s pork sector. It helps support market stability for producers while reinforcing a science-based approach to trade and animal health. As one of the most important export markets for Canadian pork, maintaining reliable access to Japan is critical to the long-term success and competitiveness of our producers.”



— Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“This agreement with Japan is excellent news for Canadian pork producers. Japan is a key market for Canadian pork, and it’s a long-standing partner that recognizes the quality and reliability of our sector. By helping preserve trade from ASF-free zones within Canada quickly, this arrangement can give producers greater confidence market access can be maintained if Canada ever faces an ASF outbreak, while also reassuring Japanese consumers that Canada can continue to provide them with safe, high-quality pork they can trust.

I want to thank Minister MacDonald for his leadership in finalizing this zoning agreement, as well as the teams at AAFC and CFIA, the industry and others who participated in the various steps of the process and getting this agreement signed.”

— René Roy, Chair, Canadian Pork Council

“The establishment of an African swine fever (ASF) zoning arrangement with Japan is a major milestone for Canada’s pork sector and a critical step in protecting access to one of our most valuable export markets. This agreement reflects the strength of Canada’s world-class food safety and animal health systems, as well as the importance of science-based trade measures in responding to animal disease risks. The Canadian Meat Council applauds the Government of Canada’s leadership in securing this arrangement and looks forward to advancing similar agreements with additional trading partners to strengthen industry resilience, support export certainty, and safeguard market access.”

— Kyle Larkin, President and CEO, Canadian Meat Council

Quick facts

  • Canada is free of African swine fever (ASF). The disease is not a food safety or human health risk, but it is a contagious and fatal disease in pigs.
  • Zoning arrangements are formal understandings between Canada and specific trading partners that outline how trade from disease-free zones should be treated if ASF is detected in Canada.
  • Canada is the world’s 7th largest pork producers and 4th largest exporter with exports nearly 70% of its pork production each year.
  • The Canadian pork industry is a significant supplier of safe and high-quality pork products to approximately 76 countries each year.
  • The top five markets for Canadian pork products are the United States, Japan, Mexico, China and South Korea. Together they account for nearly 87% of Canada’s pork export value. 

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Each day, hard-working Canadian Food Inspection Agency employees–including inspectors, veterinarians, and scientists–inspect food for safety risks, work to protect plants from pests and invasive species, and respond to animal diseases that could threaten Canada’s animal resource base and human health. Guided by science-based decision-making and modern regulations, the Agency verifies that food sold in Canada is safe while supporting access to international markets for our high-quality agricultural products. To learn more, visit inspection.canada.ca.

SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

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