Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Wednesday's Pork Meeting - Dire Situation

Here is a report on last night's meeting in Stratford - from AM920 CKNX in Wingham.


There were some dire predictions at a pork industry meeting in Stratford.

Over 500 stakeholders gathered last night to learn more about restructuring, debt mediation and transition strategy options for struggling pork producers.

Perth County Pork Producers Association President, Mike Bosch says he is skeptical of the recently announced Federal loan and the "Hog Farm Transition" programs.

He says he's not sure it's enough money to do anything.

Bosch says there are a lot of pork producers in trouble and he wouldn't be surprised if at least 50 per cent of them run out of money to operate by the end of the calendar year.

He adds the main goal of last night's "Canadian Pork Industry in Crisis - Are You Ready" event in Stratford was to give producers the information and tools they need to help determine their future.

Views: 68

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on September 10, 2009 at 1:27am
Given that there is only $75 million (+-) for restructuring, $17 million for research and marketing (which is okay for marketing), and unknown for loans - it will definitely be insufficient.
Farmgate sales for the pork sector in Huron- Perth region in 2006 was over $290 million - representing almost a quarter of the total farmgate sales of ALL the main commodities.
Huron, Perth, and Oxford Cty produce the bulk of pork in Ontario (on a per county basis), and the claim in the industry is $40 per market hog in losses - the three counties will lose in excess of $66 million in the second and third quarters of 2009. I realize the actual hog numbers are most likely lower today than in 2006, but the point is that the losses in this region is, and will be, substantial due to the infrastructure surrounding the pork sector - feed mills, trucking, parts and equipment suppliers, hog assembly yards...
So really - when you spread the $75 million and the $17 million across CANADA - how much of an impact will it really have?
May 16, 2006 census for Nursery & Market hogs on farm
Huron - 639,842; Perth - 598,260; Oxford - 424691

Wayne
Permalink Reply by pigsrgr8 on September 11, 2009 at 6:43am
I was not able to make the meeting the other night....not sure what the right path is for pork production in Ontario.
I wish the government could help but it is hard to count on that....markets need to correct but it is looking like that is going to take too long.

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Innovation Saskatchewan Invests Nearly $460,000 in University of Regina Research Advancing Water, Waste and Antimicrobial Innovation

Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $459,095 in three University of Regina (U of R) research projects through the Innovation & Science Fund (ISF) to advance solutions in water security, environmental sustainability and antimicrobial resistance.   The investments match funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), effectively doubling the resources available to U of R researchers to accelerate their work.   "The U of R is leading research that's making a real impact and helping shape a stronger, more sustainable future for our province," Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Warren Kaeding said. "These investments help ensure Saskatchewan stays at the forefront of innovation and is ready to tackle challenges with solutions developed right here at home."   The projects build on U of R strengths in climate science and population health, advancing Saskatchewan's priority research areas of life sciences, agriculture and energy:  

Enrol now in AgriStability

About AgriStability AgriStability is an important tool to help you manage risks and financial losses due to tariffs, poor yields, low commodity prices, or rising input costs. AgriStability provides support when you experience a large margin decline. AgriStability is delivered by the federal government in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories and Yukon. Use the Benefit Estimator to help you understand how the program works and how benefits are calculated. Learn more about the AgriStability program or access My AAFC Account to sign in to your account or create a new account. Benefits of participating Provides support when risks are beyond your capacity to manage Offers personalized and affordable coverage Helps you manage your farm during periods of market downturns, falling market prices and rising input costs Protects your farm against drought, flooding, poor yields or other unexpected disasters Can be used to secure financing Prov

WCC/RRC Meeting Update

The Western Canadian Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee (WCC/RRC) met in early February to review candidate cultivars and make key decisions that help guide canola and rapeseed variety registration in Western Canada. These meetings play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the canola quality system and ensuring new cultivars entering the market meet established standards. The WCC/RRC is an independent committee comprised of all sectors of the value chain including researchers, industry representatives, farmers, sector experts and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Variety Registration Office as a non-voting observer. Its primary role is to evaluate candidate cultivars against defined quality and performance criteria to determine whether they meet the requirements for canola or rapeseed registration. In addition, on behalf of the WCC/RRC, the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) staff coordinate testing and inspection of pre-registration varieties, public blackleg trials at

Manitoba Canola Growers Announces Board Election Results and Executive Appointments

Manitoba Canola Growers is pleased to announce the results of its board elections held this winter, as well as executive appointments made during the organization’s recent reorganization meeting. During the 2025 board election process, three members put their names forward for four available director positions. As a result, Warren Ellis, Jackie Dudgeon MacDonald, and Jay Derkach were all acclaimed to the board. With one seat remaining vacant following the election, Manitoba Canola Growers initiated a board application process, inviting members to submit their names for consideration. The organization was pleased to receive a strong number of qualified candidates. Following a shortlisting process and interviews, the board is pleased to announce that Brad Crammond has been selected to join the board for a four term. “We’re really encouraged by how much interest our members showed and by the strong group of candidates who put their names forward,” said Warren Ellis, Chair. “It’s great

How to cover all the bases with a land rental agreement

It doesn’t make sense to pay to use a piece of land, invest time and effort into raising a crop, and not even have a paper outlining an agreement with the owner. Yet it’s something lawyer James Steele, of Robertson Stromberg LLP, says he sees repeatedly, as well as handshake agreements and handwritten rental deals. Across the country, none of these informal agreements are sufficient if there's a disagreement and the rental matter ends in court. Overall, having a written land rental agreement in place is a critical, yet often neglected, piece of farm business that could save both parties time and money if anything with the rental ever went wrong. Include all the details A rental agreement needs to be longer than a one—to two-page document and include as many details as possible. Steele says he often sees producers show up with an agreement where the term and rate have been determined, but not much else. A rental agreement document must spell out the obligations and consequences, and

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service