Proposed Moratorium on Swine Industry Expansion Expected to Chase Away Investment
CANADA - Farm-Scape: Episode 2247. Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.
27 November 2006
3 minute read
Farm-Scape, Episode 2247
Manitoba's hog marketing cooperative fears a moratorium on the expansion of swine operations in the province will chase away investment and reduce the number of hogs available for slaughter.
Legislation proposed by Manitoba Conservation will freeze the development of new or expanded hog operations in the province while the Clean Environment Commission reviews the environmental sustainability of the industry.
Manitoba Pork Marketing CEO Perry Mohr fears such a move will have dire consequences.
Anybody that's looking at investing in the industry is going to look at the political atmosphere, the acceptance or the lack there of and right now I would suggest that anybody that's looking at investing in the industry is going to look elsewhere.
Certainly it's not a friendly environment.
Conversely, with what's going on in Saskatchewan with the announcements in the last few weeks, I would suggest they've got the "we're open for business" sign up.
As far as our own organization is concerned, obviously if this thing were to become permanent it would have long term negative ramifications.
Not being able to even replace existing facilities or aging facilities, that just simply means that long term there's going to be fewer hogs produced in the province.
A big part of our business is the Hutterite Brethren.
It's common knowledge that once a colony hits a critical mass they have to split and they look at setting up in alternate locations and one of the first things a colony typically does is erect a hog barn.
Obviously that won't be a possibility either and, sadly, they're some of our best producers and if we're restricting their ability to produce hogs, again, I see that as having negative implications long term for the number of animals that are available to slaughter in the province.
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Mohr notes, considering the hog industry accounts for about one percent of the phosphorus entering Lake Winnipeg, a freeze on expansion seems like pretty drastic action.
Staff Farmscape.Ca
