Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

After reading yesterday's post about ASRA's latest payout to Quebec hog farmers I did some simple math and based on the amount of market hogs produced, Quebec farmers have received close to 50 dollars a market hog in support from their provincial government this year.

This would sting a lot less if Quebec was eating all of the pork that they produce but it is no secret that truckload after truckload of market hogs are heading west down the 401 and displacing Ontario hogs at our kill plants. Furthermore, it is subsidized Quebec produced pork that retailers are buying in place of our Ontario products. (Consider that Quebec produces approx 7 mil market hogs while only consuming 2 mil)

How is it that we have a system in our country that allows one province to act on their own, ignoring national policy surrounding hog market support. As a farmer here, this upsets me, my farm is being threatened because of the actions of fellow Canadians.

It is time that we put some funding together to estimate the damages that Quebec producers are causing Ontario farmers. These payouts must stop and the playing field must be leveled. We cannot control the actions of the American government but one would hope that our governments would seek to make sure ALL Canadian hog farmers are being treated equally.

Stew

Views: 159

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Stew - it is crazy to have trade/safety net disparity within our own country. I guess the way ag support programs are cost shared between feds and prov enable this potential for have/have not policy?
Good points Stew:

If this was not bad enough in these tough times......this is likely another result of the strong Canadian dollar....

I noticed that when shopping at a Loblaws store this past week that are Ontario consumer markets are being overrun by cheap US pork products. Smithfield bacon was on sale for $1.97/lb, Cook's Spiral Hams were being sold at $1.97/lb and Farmland cryovac back ribs were being sold for around $6 per Kg....

Now Loblaws is also selling the Farmer Highlighted story pork - picture of the farmer...raised naturally etc...nice packaging. But the price was 3 times what the regular pork was priced at... I doubt you will build a market when the price differences are so great.

It seems like it is bad and only getting worse...
I totally agree with your comments Stewart, as we speak there is a major grass roots initiative being formed that will strive to include all sectors of the pork industry within Ontario. Unfortunately this uneven playing field developed by Quebec has been known to us for many years but nothing was done about it causing Ontario to be become literally the dumping grounds for pork at the expense of the Ontario producer and packer.

We have an opportunity here to hold our Ontario government accountable for the lack of leadership shown, and to demand action immediately before there is a complete wipeout of the Ontario pork industry. The Canadian Pork Council by design is also very flawed because of Quebec's influence around that board table. When we ask the CPC for help in this matter they basically say, "sorry we cannot go there if fear of what Quebec's reaction might be"! Is this not rediculous?

Time is running out, all Ontario producers have to stand up to this injustice and demand action.
John,

You did hit the nail right on the head, why is this a public secret?????????????????????

John Donkers said:
I totally agree with your comments Stewart, as we speak there is a major grass roots initiative being formed that will strive to include all sectors of the pork industry within Ontario. Unfortunately this uneven playing field developed by Quebec has been known to us for many years but nothing was done about it causing Ontario to be become literally the dumping grounds for pork at the expense of the Ontario producer and packer.

We have an opportunity here to hold our Ontario government accountable for the lack of leadership shown, and to demand action immediately before there is a complete wipeout of the Ontario pork industry. The Canadian Pork Council by design is also very flawed because of Quebec's influence around that board table. When we ask the CPC for help in this matter they basically say, "sorry we cannot go there if fear of what Quebec's reaction might be"! Is this not rediculous?

Time is running out, all Ontario producers have to stand up to this injustice and demand action.

Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Waterloo Farmer Convicted for Breaking Detention

On April 27, 2023, investigators with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness’ Regulatory Compliance Unit executed a Provincial Offences Act search warrant at Joris Salverda’s farm in Wilmot on an unrelated matter. Investigators found unlabelled meat product and subsequently detained it to determine if it was from an inspected source. Detention involved marking a potentially non-compliant product with a detention tag and placing it in a freezer or cooler to preserve its integrity until it could be determined whether the meat product was compliant. No person shall move or interfere with a thing that has been detained unless authorized or required to do so by an inspector. Later, officers conducted an inspection at Salverda’s farm and discovered the detained meat product had been removed without authorization. Following an investigation into the movement of the unlabelled meat product, Salverda was charged with one count of breaking detention of a thing without autho

Guelph Business Owner Convicted of Obstructing Inspectors

Background: On October 4, 2023 and January 10, 2024, Compliance and Advisory Officers with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (then the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) attended Klops Meat and Deli for the purpose of verifying compliance. On both occasions, the owner/operator, Leszek Rzeznik, refused the inspectors entry to complete an inspection. Subsequently, investigators in the Ministry’s Regulatory Compliance Unit initiated an investigation that resulted in Rzeznik being charged with two counts of obstructing an inspector under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001. On January 8, 2025, after a trial in absentia, Rzeznik was convicted on both counts by Justice of the Peace Michael Cuthbertson. Rzeznik was fined $3,000 for each count, plus a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which totalled $7,500.

York Region Man Convicted of Obstructing an Inspector

Background: On September 25, 2024, an inspector from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness appointed under the Food Safety Quality Act, 2001 attended Ve & Be Corporation at 793 Alness Street to conduct an unannounced inspection. As a free-standing, licenced meat plant, the business is subject to inspection by ministry inspectors. When the inspector arrived, the plant operator, Andrei Berliaev, behaved in an aggressive manner and prevented the inspector from conducting the inspection. The inspector then left the plant and withdrew the inspection. Following an investigation, Berliaev was charged with one count of obstructing an inspector under the Food Safety Quality Act, 2001.

From soil to supper – how farmers care for the Earth all year long

Every April, countries around the world mark Earth Day – an excellent and vital opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of caring for and protecting our environment. As farmers, we often like to say that every day is Earth Day on the farm, and while that sounds a bit cliched, it actually is very true. That’s because in raising livestock and growing crops of all kinds, farmers work very directly with the soil, the air, and the water every single day. The weather is our constant companion and more than almost anything else, will influence the kind of year we’re going to have. Whether it’s too much or too little rain, temperatures that are hotter or colder than normal, or snow, ice and rain storms, it all impacts the quality and quantity of the products we’re able to produce on our farms. I farm near Burford close to Brantford with my wife and son where we raise sheep and grow hay, corn, and soybeans as well as a biomass crop called miscanthus. I’m also a director on the bo

Q+A: Trevor Jones to draw on experience as Ontario agriculture minister

Chatham-Kent–Leamington MPP Trevor Jones is settling into his role as Ontario agriculture, food and agribusiness minister. The former Leamington town councillor and OPP officer was named to cabinet last month in just his second term as an MPP. We asked Jones about his new role in cabinet. His responses have been edited for style and brevity. Q: Just beginning your second term as an MPP, can you describe the honour of being named minister for a portfolio as prominent as Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness? A: It is an honour . . . I grew up and continue to live and raise my family in Chatham-Kent-Leamington, where our communities have a long tradition of farming, greenhouse growing and food processing. As such, I developed a strong appreciation for this sector and remain inspired by the hard-working people who feed Canada and the world. Early in my career with the OPP, I earned a position on the Emergency Response Team and . . . was given the opportunity to work with members of the

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service