<?=getCodeSnippet(45);?>

Farm-Scape, Episode 2251

Research conducted by Ipsos-Reid shows the confidence of western Canadians in the environmental sustainability of hog farming continues to increase.

Ipsos-Reid has been tracking the attitudes of non farming Canadians toward hog production practices related to food safety, the environment and animal welfare since 1999.

Vice president agribusiness, food and animal health Dr. Susan Jones says impressions related to hog farming and the environment vary regionally and are particularly interesting in western Canada.

In all provinces again, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, we see that the environmental impact of hog farming has increased in importance. In Alberta things are the most positive.

Consumers there have a positive impression of hog farming which has improved steadily since 1999 and also in Saskatchewan impressions are fairly positive and on par with the national average. The really interesting story is in Manitoba.

In Manitoba alone of all provinces, we see that the concern about the impact of hog farming on the environment is equal in importance to their belief about the importance of food safety and also Manitobans are a bit of a tough audience. They feel that they are the most knowledgeable across Canada about hog farming practices.

The good news in Manitoba is despite this tough environment, if you will, where non-farming Manitobans are very aware and concerned about the impact of hog farming on the environment in 2004 we saw that their opinions about the environmental friendliness of hog farming have actually improved compared to 2002."

Dr. Jones notes, nationally, the percentage of Canadians reporting positive impressions of the hog industry has climbed from 49 percent in 2002 to 59 percent in 2004.

Staff Farmscape.Ca