The official USDA approval status was conferred to Verdancia Farms on June 8, 2006. This means that the Winnipeg owned and operated meat producer is the first naturally enriched Omega-3 pork producer to receive USDA approval in North America.
Willy Hoffmann, President of Prairie Orchard Farms says, “We are extremely pleased to be North America’s first producer of naturally produced Omega-3 pork and will now be in a unique position of being able to export high quality, naturally produced Omega-3 enriched pork to the United States”.

Prairie Orchard Farms, which works with hog barns near Elie, Manitoba, feeds its hogs with a stringent diet enriched with vitamins and organic minerals, supplemented with a plant-source of essential fatty acids. Prairie Orchard Farms was certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in April 2005 and tests approved by the Federal Agency confirm that levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in meat from hogs in Prairie Orchard Farm’s Omega-3 program increased significantly when compared to regular retail pork.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Omega-3 Fatty Acids reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by preventing blood platelets from clotting and sticking to artery walls. Some studies suggest that the addition of Omega-3 Fatty Acids to the diet can reduce the risk of fatal heart disease by up to 44 per cent. A diet enriched with Omega-3 is also recommended for expectant and nursing mothers, as well as for people with Diabetes and High Blood Pressure.

Prairie Orchard Farms, under its Verdancia Farms trademark will now provide American health-conscious consumers with fresh pork products produced by Sioux Preme Packers in Sioux City, Iowa. Its bacon and sausage will soon be produced by Webster City Meats in Webster City, Iowa. Canadian consumers with a flavour for heart-healthy products can also enjoy Prairie Orchard Farms chops, bacon, ribs, roasts and loins in Manitoba, North West Ontario, Alberta and Quebec.

ThePigSite News Desk