Farmer Arnold Van Ginkel, seen in this file photo, has culled his entire herd, says Alberta Pork. (CBC)

A central Alberta pig farmer whose animals were quarantined after it was discovered they were infected with swine flu has voluntarily culled his entire herd, according to an industry organization.

In a written statement, Alberta Pork, a group of pork producers serving the industry and consumers, said Saturday that Arnold Van Ginkel decided to cull his herd to save his business.

Despite assurance from the World Health Organization that the meat from animals that have recovered from swine flu is safe to eat, Van Ginkel said continuing questions from consumers meant processors were reluctant to buy his hogs.

Faced with the prospect of not being able to market the animals, Van Ginkel made the decision to cull his herd.

All 2,200 of the pigs on Van Ginkel's farm near Rocky Mountain House, Alta., were placed under quarantine in April after some of his animals became sick with the new strain of the H1N1 influenza A virus. It's believed the animals caught the illness from a carpenter who had recently travelled to Mexico.