Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Grassroots producers have worked at trying to put forward a Recovery Plan for the Ontario Pork Industry. It is an article for discussion and is not written in stone. Please consider engaging in discussions - tell us what statements you can endorse and give us suggestions for those statements you can not support.

Only through these discussions, can we provide the unified voice that is needed.

'If you aren't a part of the solution - you become part of the problem'

Views: 142

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

The U.S. country of origin labeling and interprovincial trade disruption are the biggest issues that stand in the way of a level playingfield.
There are numerous issues but,

The only sustainable solution will be to get the pork prices up...now the dollar is moving to par with the US.

What can we do to address prices?
If we believe the reason why our price is where it is - too many hogs in this world economy - markets are telling us we have to downsize. A problem is that some of us will get that message quicker (due to limited funds) than others (US) who think they can sustain this crazy marketplace - dog-eat-dog. The question that needs to be asked - Do the MAJORITY of Ontario Producers want to work together to systemically downsize our industry - AND - put pursue legislation to protect that downsizing - as we watch 200,000 MT (and growing) US pork coming into our store. You are right about the rising dollar - and we can add that to the growing list of items working against us - and the question is - when do we see any sustainable resolution to any one of these problems? We all bought into 'Fresh Pork for the World' and now the world has changed it's mind (perhaps temporarily). Producers need to unite as one voice - and list the priorities of what they want - suggestions: Cost of Production Insurance; Fix CAIS; eliminate the damage of ASRA to Ontario Producers (via $$$ to producers) put regulations in place to ensure imports are produced to our exact standards - the list is endless - so we as producers HAVE got to set a priority list - and I would say address the short-term; intermediate and long-term industry. I'd be interested to get your feedback.
Will the packers come on board?? There will still be an export demand as the economy rebounds and some people and packers will still want to chase that. The pork that we are raising now is disappearing just not at a price that we like, who is really controlling the price?? Yes I believe we need to control our own market and supply it ourselves and do it sooner than later, we just need OP to realize this and step up

JoAnne Caughill said:
If we believe the reason why our price is where it is - too many hogs in this world economy - markets are telling us we have to downsize. A problem is that some of us will get that message quicker (due to limited funds) than others (US) who think they can sustain this crazy marketplace - dog-eat-dog. The question that needs to be asked - Do the MAJORITY of Ontario Producers want to work together to systemically downsize our industry - AND - put pursue legislation to protect that downsizing - as we watch 200,000 MT (and growing) US pork coming into our store. You are right about the rising dollar - and we can add that to the growing list of items working against us - and the question is - when do we see any sustainable resolution to any one of these problems? We all bought into 'Fresh Pork for the World' and now the world has changed it's mind (perhaps temporarily). Producers need to unite as one voice - and list the priorities of what they want - suggestions: Cost of Production Insurance; Fix CAIS; eliminate the damage of ASRA to Ontario Producers (via $$$ to producers) put regulations in place to ensure imports are produced to our exact standards - the list is endless - so we as producers HAVE got to set a priority list - and I would say address the short-term; intermediate and long-term industry. I'd be interested to get your feedback.
Hi Tom - Packers are hearing about the Recovery Plan - and intrigued. They understand that without us, they don't have an industry. They know we need more of the Retail Dollar and I would also go out on a limb and say that they too likely need more of the retail dollar. Processors have been squeezed with us. A round table of Industry people will be an important part of this process of moving forward with a Recovery Plan. Tom - John N. and I would really like the opportunity to speak to your County Meeting - any chance of this?

Tom Murray said:
Will the packers come on board?? There will still be an export demand as the economy rebounds and some people and packers will still want to chase that. The pork that we are raising now is disappearing just not at a price that we like, who is really controlling the price?? Yes I believe we need to control our own market and supply it ourselves and do it sooner than later, we just need OP to realize this and step up

JoAnne Caughill said:
If we believe the reason why our price is where it is - too many hogs in this world economy - markets are telling us we have to downsize. A problem is that some of us will get that message quicker (due to limited funds) than others (US) who think they can sustain this crazy marketplace - dog-eat-dog. The question that needs to be asked - Do the MAJORITY of Ontario Producers want to work together to systemically downsize our industry - AND - put pursue legislation to protect that downsizing - as we watch 200,000 MT (and growing) US pork coming into our store. You are right about the rising dollar - and we can add that to the growing list of items working against us - and the question is - when do we see any sustainable resolution to any one of these problems? We all bought into 'Fresh Pork for the World' and now the world has changed it's mind (perhaps temporarily). Producers need to unite as one voice - and list the priorities of what they want - suggestions: Cost of Production Insurance; Fix CAIS; eliminate the damage of ASRA to Ontario Producers (via $$$ to producers) put regulations in place to ensure imports are produced to our exact standards - the list is endless - so we as producers HAVE got to set a priority list - and I would say address the short-term; intermediate and long-term industry. I'd be interested to get your feedback.

Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Export Gains Support Grains as Crypto Markets Retreat

The week of November 17 to 21 brought mixed commodity trends, changing export demand, and cautious investor behavior as markets prepared for month-end adjustments.

Stats Canada releases updated 2024 farm income data

Realized net farm income fell 26 per cent in 2024

USDA's November Crop Report was neutral to bearish vs expectations for corn

The 2025 U.S. corn crop remained historically very large with key revisions pointing to slightly lower production

Technology transforms traditional family farming

Farms today are rooted in tradition, with many working hard to keep generational operations alive. But technology has become essential to soil, seed and watering processes. Farmers are balancing two eras—remembering the iron and instinct of the past while embracing how technology is reshaping successful farming. Soda Springs farmer Dan Lakey describes his experience as two different farming careers. Growing up on the Lakey Farm in the 1980s and 1990s, he spent countless hours during his teenage years pulling a cultivator behind a 300-horsepower tractor. “I didn’t enjoy it much because all I knew was the hard work,” he said. After college and time in the corporate world, Lakey returned to the family farm and found how drastically equipment and the industry had changed. Larger planters and 600-horsepower tractors have revolutionized productivity and efficiency. What once took a full crew a week now takes two people a single day. GPS-guided tractors and combines with auto-steer capa

Deere forecasts little relief for U.S. farmers

Deere & Co., the world's largest farm-equipment manufacturer, sees another difficult year ahead for the U.S. farm economy. Why it matters: America's farmers have been in a two-year slump, squeezed by rising costs, falling crop prices, tariffs and a global trade war. Zoom in: Deere on Wednesday provided its first forecast for 2026, saying it expects its business selling to large-scale farms in the U.S. and Canada to fall 15% to 20%. Row-crop farmers — like those growing corn, soybeans, and wheat — continue to face headwinds, pressuring their short-term liquidity and causing them to continue to rely on older, used equipment, the company told investors. Deere is continuing to keep production tight for large equipment in response to low demand, noting that its inventory of big tractors ended the fiscal year at the lowest unit level in over 17 years. Zoom out: "Our organization is used to managing cyclicality. But this year, we faced an additional headwind of heightened uncertainty in a

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service