A virus infecting and killing pigs on farms across the United States has Manitoba pork producers concerned for their herds. Farmers say they're doing everything they can to make sure the disease does not cross the border.

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea first appeared in the United States on an Iowa farm in April, 2013. Since then, it's spread to 22 states and caused the deaths of more than a million animals.

"We anticipate, if it would ever come to Canada, that it would be a significant impact on our farms here,” said Rick Bergmann, vice-chair of the Canadian Pork Council.

“So, right now our focus is on ensuring and doing whatever we can to keep it outside of our country."

The disease hasn't appeared on Canadian farms yet.

Veterinary experts in the United States have traced the strain of PED to China. They're not sure how it got to America, but they think they know how it's spreading so fast.

"So far there's really good information that says it's spread by truck, dirty trucks that were hauling infected pigs," said Dick Hesse, a diagnostician with Kansas State University.

As part of their prevention strategy, the Canadian Pork Council targets trucks that could be carrying the virus.

"The transporters that we have here do a very good job of washing, disinfecting, drying down their trailers to make sure that in case a virus does get on that trailer, that it dies on that trailer, as well,” said

Other preventative measures include a national database that monitors swine health.

The Manitoba Pork Council educates producers about creating a 'bio-security fortress' around their farms, meaning every person, animal and piece of equipment coming onto a farm has to be carefully controlled.

As farmers do everything they can to keep the disease out of Canada, the impact is already being felt by consumers. The Manitoba Pork Council says the virus has killed so many pigs in the United States, it's driving up pork prices.

The council says prices are up about five per cent since PED was first discovered in the United States. They say the virus does not pose any danger to people.

- With a report by Ben Miljure