Public Opposition to Manitoba Hog Moratorium Builds

Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Last week Manitoba Pork Council hosted a rally designed to encourage those who will be affected by the changes proposed to the Environment Act in Bill 17 to register to express their concerns to a legislative committee that will gather public input on the bill before it goes to third reading.

Pork producers are hoping a minimum of 500 people will register and at last count, just over 380 had done so.

Manitoba Pork Council Chairman Karl Kynoch says people are beginning to recognize how a moratorium on hog industry expansion will impact them and the number of people who have registered is an indication of the level of concern.

Karl Kynoch Manitoba Pork Council

This covers a lot more than just the hog producers.

This affects everybody that actually relies on this industry, spin-off jobs and everything.

We've seen the University of Manitoba come out and they oppose this bill.

We've seen other industries such as breeding companies, feed companies, all these types of companies that rely on the spin-off jobs off the hog industry.

They realize their jobs are going to be on the line down the road.

In fact, when we were in Morris, we even saw presentations there from people out of Neepawa.

They realize that if the government starts pushing this industry backwards that that puts in jeopardy even the jobs in the town of Neepawa even though they are not in the moratorium area.

This is going to affect a huge number of people in this province as about 15 thousand rely on this industry top make their living.

Kynoch says the hope is that the government will recognize the level of opposition to the proposed changes and simply withdraw the bill.

He notes, once Bill 17 passes, it will be very difficult to get the moratorium reversed so this may be one of the last opportunities for the public to express its concern.

Those wishing to appear before the legislative committee can resister by calling 945-3636.

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