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: 132

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

ESS RELEASE Fall Harvest 2023: Canadian fresh produce industry engages with Parliamentarians

The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) successfully concluded their annual joint advocacy event, Fall Harvest, which took place in Ottawa from November 20-22. This year's event centered on several key focus areas:

CONTEST OFFERS MILLIONS: If you can cut methane emissions

The Liberal government has launched a multi-million-dollar contest to entice farmers into cutting the natural methane emissions from cattle, whose bodies are already fuelled entirely by a renewable form of energy known as plant matter.

AT THE ROYAL: Top beef bull sells for $15,000

Among all the beef bulls judged at the 2023 Royal Winter Fair, the best of them all was entered by Baker Farms of Madoc.

Perth County sheep farmer loses leg in auger accident

A 34-year-old Perth County sheep farmer suffered life-altering injuries in what a family member said was an auger accident. One leg was lost in the accident and the farmer’s other leg was broken.

Farms vulnerable to cyber security threats, new research shows

As Canada’s farms become more connected and more digital, there is a consensus among experts that it’s a matter of when and not if a farm business will experience a cyber security problem. 

© 2023   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service