Earlier this week Manitoba Pork Council unveiled a new plan, "Embracing a Sustainable Future," which outlines its vision for the long-term sustainability of pork production.

The document contains 82 commitments on issues including environmental protection, animal welfare, food safety, worker safety, education and awareness and investing in research.

Dr Karin Wittenberg, the associate dean research with the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, believes the University has a role to play in advancing the science and technology that contribute to sustainable agriculture, contributing to the education of young people who will enter agriculture and in communications.

Dr Karin Wittenberg-University of Manitoba

What I am pleased to see is a continued commitment around education, around research, a commitment around partnerships in education and research as well as the recognition that it is important to engage in a conversation with the various stakeholders.

I see a role for members of our community, our university community in all of those things and particularly I think we have some excellent academics.

They are recognized provincially, nationally, many of them internationally for the work that they do.

The support that has been identified in Ensuring a Sustainable Future recognizes the need to be a part of the funding support for these academics.

Certainly industry is not the only source of funds but it is important because it shows leadership, it shows a proactive view from their perspective and it gives our people an opportunity then to indicate that this is not just a priority of an academic, it's a priority of a group of food producers as well.

For more information on the Embracing a Sustainable Future document visit manitobapork.com.