By Theresa Lightfoot
Staff Writer
Wednesday May 07, 2008
Local hog farmers may be steaming, and it’s not because they’re lounging around in hot tubs.
Along with unpredictable weather patterns, drought, BSE, closure of regional slaughter houses and rapidly rising input costs, a hog crisis is rearing an ugly snout.
A recent drop in hog pricing due to problems with exportation and transportation to countries outside Canada is one major cause of the crisis.
The issue was whether it is ‘humanitarian’ to ship live hogs the long distances to more tropical climates, and the cost to maintain cooler shipping temperatures.
The answer to the problem by the federal and provincial governments is now to limit the growth of hog farms and provide compensation to local farmers for the drop in livestock prices.
Last week Agriculture Minister George Groenveld announced the joint federal/provincial hog cull program, which includes the donation of meat to local food banks.
“Alberta’s pork producers are committed to having some good come out of the severe challenges the industry is facing right now,” said George Groeneveld, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This meat will help Albertans who need it the most. I look forward to working with the pork industry to develop long-term, sustainable solutions to its current challenges."
Herman Simons, Chair of Alberta Pork producers, explained the cull swine program in a letter to members on April 9, 2008. The letter explains the pricing per sow, and the three-year condition for not replacing breeding stock. According to this letter
The program began on April 14, 2008, the date that program applications were first posted on the Canadian Pork Council website The Cull Breeding Swine Program will be retroactive to November 1, 2007. Producers are eligible for the per animal payment ($225 per sow/boar) less the selling price received for the animal. An additional per head amount will be available to cover slaughter and disposal costs.”
The program’s conditions will limit farmers from expanding their hog enterprises for three years.
Simons is urging local farmers to apply immediately, as acceptance is given on a first come, first serve basis.
“Even in this unprecedented financial crisis, producers have asked for the animals they care for to be put towards a worthwhile cause,” explained Jodi Hesse, Director of policy and communications with Alberta Pork. “This announcement is welcome news, as there is now the opportunity to have the pork products from culled animals be donated to Albertans in need, allowing some good to come out of the devastating crisis occurring in the hog industry.”
The donation of the meat may be the only silver lining to the sow’s ear. It is better at least than letting sows and boars fend for themselves in the wild, as happened in earlier times of crisis.
“As a result of this program we will be able to provide all food banks throughout Alberta with an outstanding source of protein for their clients,” said Richard Le Sueur of the Alberta Food Bank Network Association. “Food banks in Alberta feed more than 40,000 people every month, so an influx of processed pork will be an extremely valuable commodity for those we serve.”
An estimated 600,000 pounds of meat will be delivered from Alberta farms to the food banks.
Said one local farmer, wishing to remain anonymous, “It’s a bad situation. Hopefully we won’t find ourselves in the line-ups.”
Publisher: Sonia Fedorus Proprietor and published by Bowes Publishers Limited at 10205 100 Avenue, Morinville, Alberta, Canada T8R 1P9
