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

Farm-Scape, Episode 1383

The Canadian Pork Industry is taking steps to reverse the flow of live Canadian hogs entering the United States for slaughter.

The increased volumes of live Canadian hogs shipped into the US has been identified as a key concern on both sides of the Canada US border.

To address that concern representatives of the Canadian Pork Council and the various provincial agencies responsible for marketing hogs gathered to look for solutions.

CPC President Edouard Asnong says, while several factors contributed to this year's higher levels of live exports, there is a recognition of the need for the Canadian industry to be less dependent on US slaughtering plants.

"To be frank on that, solutions will not happen next month or in two months because there is a trend of exporting live hogs influenced by the Canadian dollar's value, the BSE and some other things.

I think the trend is changing now and producers and different hog farmer's organizations have made decisions that things have to change and that we must become more self sufficient in processing our hogs in Canada.

To see the results will take maybe five or six months but certainly the trend is reversed and we will see some results come about"

Asnong says the ability to kill more hogs in Canada opens the door to a lot of export alternatives.

He says the next step in the process will involve discussions among the various provincial marketing agencies and Canada's processors and packers.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.