Ontario Swine Genetics Leader Expands Purebred Nucleus Herd

One of Ontario’s leading swine genetics providers is expanding its purebred nucleus. Mike and Amy Cronin of Cronin Family Farms are joining the Alliance Genetics Canada (AGC) family with a new 1,500-sow barn in Norfolk County that will serve as a purebred genetic nucleus for Vista Villa Genetics, a partner in AGC

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The Cronins join existing AGC nucleus and multiplier herds Vista Villa Genetics, Bodmin Genetics, BMR Genetics and Clarion Swine in Ontario, and Western Canada Sandridge Genetics in Alberta.

“AGC’s focus has always been on genetic improvement and working on traits that have economic benefit to our customers and we look forward to working with our new partners, the Cronins,” says AGC General Manager Dave Vandenbroek. “With this new source of ideally located, high health pigs, we are confident in ensuring the continuation of our optimal rate of genetic improvement.”

Vista Villa suffered a barn fire followed by a PRRS break in the past year; the Cronins too were devastated by a barn fire on their Norfolk County farm site. It was these tragedies, though, that ultimately brought the families together under the AGC umbrella.

“The biggest benefit for our customers will be continuity of supply and genetic progress”

“The biggest benefit for our customers will be continuity of supply and genetic progress,” says Brent Robinson of Vista Villa. “This has been a rising from the ashes for both of us; we’ve never had so many purebreds bred and raised and in the system as today and it’s an exciting time where we’re at now with new partners and a new barn being built at a new site.”

The new barn is state-of-the-art, incorporating learnings around group sow housing and niche market production from the Cronins’ other facilities and underlining their commitment to top-level biosecurity and animal and worker wellbeing.

The new build features electronic sow feeders, stalls that lift as a unit when sows stand up, a loading chute with regulated air to keep air from coming into the barn, a double-layered entry system to ensure no outside boots or clothing make it into the barn, in-floor heating, and an Airworks heat exchange ventilation system that provides a consistent supply of clean, fresh air in the barn.

“We’re a family business, which is at the heart of who we are, and we liked that AGC and the Robinsons have that same family focus and share our core values,” says Amy Cronin. “We have built our business on relationships and creating win-win opportunities and it’s those relationships that let you work through the good and the bad times. We are excited to be part of the AGC family and growing our businesses together as part of the future of this industry. ”

The Cronins have been married and farming together for 23 years, starting with 600 sows farrow to wean in 1998. Today, they have 6,500 sows at various locations in Ontario, Iowa and Missouri. Amy is heavily involved in the pork industry, as well as in the community, currently serving as Past Chair of Ontario Pork, Chair of Swine Health Ontario and the Banff Pork Seminar, and Chair of the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board of Trustees.

The Cronins have six children: Alyssa, 21, a fourth year student at the University of Waterloo; Tyler, 20, a third year student at University of Guelph; Kyle, 18, currently involved in mission work; Liam, 15, in Grade 10; Emmy, 13, in Grade 8; and Sam, 11, in Grade 6.

AGC is a family-owned swine genetics company that was formed when some of Ontario’s most long-established, independent swine breeding families joined forces to compete against larger multinational businesses. The company supplies more than a quarter of Ontario’s commercial hog market with genetics, and its purebred nucleus is the largest in Canada.