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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-01-28, Page 201 4.0 Page 20 The Huron Expositor • January 28, 2009 News Pork farmers worried about changes to marketing board Dan Schwab About a dozen hog farmerstattend- ing . the Huron County Pork Pro- ducers Association annual meeting in Seaforth Jan. 21 expressed con- cerns about the planned restruc- turing of the provincial marketing board that represents about 3,100 farmers in Ontario, including many of the 440 across the county. Lobbying a year ago from some producers and industry stake- holders for a more open market- ing system led to an Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission (OFPMC) decision in ' October to strip the Ontario Pork Producers' Marketing Board of its role as a sole marketer of market hogs in the province, a position it's held since 1946. Ontario Pork would retain the authority to offer marketing ser- vices, including logistics, schedul- ing, settlement of payment and to collect fees for those services. But these services will not be mandatory and a service fee will be collected from those who choose to use the services. The OFPMC has requested Ontario Pork make the transition into its new marketing system by April I. During the meeting, OFPMC chair Elmer Buchanan addressed producers' concerns, including some expressing fears that restructuring would "turn the clock back 60 years." Buchanan said producers mould receive financial pro- tection in the market under a new system that would stop charging fees for unused ser- vices. "Friction among peo- ple -ple paying for services they weren't using is partly what brought this to the cotnnnis- sion," Buchanan said. 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Big, 3 floor, 4 bedroom, house. MLS* 070755 $290,000. • 17t., i .f We have first time buyers shopping for homes. If you're thinking of selling, call us today. We can hop' make it easy. G rant Love . But Grant Love, president of the Huron County Pork Producers As- sociation, announced his group has launched an appeal of the OFPMC's decision with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Af- fairs. "We believe the commission erred in its hearings in granting that a disproportionate amount of weight to the opinion of the witnesses who were critical of Ontario Pork's mar- keting role," Love said. _ "Axed that these witnesses did not accurately represent the interest of the ma- jority of Ontario's pork producers. The effect of the commission's de- cision denies the majority of pork producers a voice in the reform of Ontario Pork's marketing role." -. Some producers attending the meeting wondered why there wasn't a vote before any decision was made to restructure Ontario Pork, while others feared smaller farms would be under -represented in the new system. "Another marketing arm will just give big companies a special deal," one producer said. Love said an OMAFRA tribunal is in the process of drafting a for- mal response to the appeal and is seeking a pre -hearing conference to discuss the preliminary and pro- cedure items related to it, as well as to other appeals filed from pro- ducers in Lambton County. "I urge each and every producer to stay informed and voice your opinion," -Love told members of the local group: Buchanan said Ontario Pork has submitted a plan to the commis- sion to downsize its governance structure to 80 councillors from more than 100 and the executive from 12 members to nine. "The decision was to open things up a bit, more open marketing, but at the same time the commission is concerned about the role Ontario Pork plays currently," Buchanan Elmer.: Buchan said. "We support the continuing role of having that marketing arm on a fee for service." Buchanan said Ontario Pork cur- rently markets less than 20 per cent of the pigs in the province, with the other 80 per cent going through direct sales. He said it was unanimous among those who -appeared before the commission in July supporting On- tario Pork that there should be a fee for all 'producers who receive representation, not only those who market hogs. Buchanan said the commission agreed and in its ruling addedthat a fee should also be included when hogs are sent out of province. Producers in Western Canada are charged' this type of fee, rang- ing from 18 cents to 20 cents per : - hog, Buchanan says, adding that Ontario prices and how the fees will be collected are still being con- sidered. Buchanan said the commission is ``trying to offer some choice in the marketplace," after it appeared the way the industry is currently func- tioning is unsustainable, especially for smaller producers. "There's been about 3,000 people get out of the pork business in the smaller end of the scale over the last decade," he said. "Having some choice in the marketplace may in fact help you get a better price." He added a financial protection plan that would guarantee pay- ment to producers, unlike what Ontario Pork has traditionally of- fered, should be a part of the new system, paid for: by the Ontario government. 4ent Speaking about -the changes to the way hogs will be marketed in Ontario, Buchanan said, "We be- lieve this is better for the industry and will put more money in your pocket." C �Nt • yY S l "� ?';'�Ati'V. '3 14,4; +t' -` tl IDEAL • WITH A BSO MAKEOVER! SM. Jan 31st, 1230-1:30pm. Seaforth. 4 bedroom house. 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Three bedrooms, games room, big family room with woodstove. Quaint kitchen. Great location, 2 blocks from Main Street. Some TLC would go a long way. Zoned multiple dwelling. 1f you want Toads of house, this is for you! MLS!! 083813 117 000. ti GET OUT OF TOWN! Outside Seaforth. Privacy in the country. Breathe in the open space, enjoy the quietness. Own a home, 5 acres and your own workshop. Put down your roots This country property is ideal for horse farming, hobby or your Investment pursuit. Large, 2 floored shop- 24'x48'. Big, 3 floor, 4 bedroom, house. MLS* 070755 $290,000. • 17t., i .f We have first time buyers shopping for homes. If you're thinking of selling, call us today. We can hop' make it easy. G rant Love . But Grant Love, president of the Huron County Pork Producers As- sociation, announced his group has launched an appeal of the OFPMC's decision with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Af- fairs. "We believe the commission erred in its hearings in granting that a disproportionate amount of weight to the opinion of the witnesses who were critical of Ontario Pork's mar- keting role," Love said. _ "Axed that these witnesses did not accurately represent the interest of the ma- jority of Ontario's pork producers. The effect of the commission's de- cision denies the majority of pork producers a voice in the reform of Ontario Pork's marketing role." -. Some producers attending the meeting wondered why there wasn't a vote before any decision was made to restructure Ontario Pork, while others feared smaller farms would be under -represented in the new system. "Another marketing arm will just give big companies a special deal," one producer said. Love said an OMAFRA tribunal is in the process of drafting a for- mal response to the appeal and is seeking a pre -hearing conference to discuss the preliminary and pro- cedure items related to it, as well as to other appeals filed from pro- ducers in Lambton County. "I urge each and every producer to stay informed and voice your opinion," -Love told members of the local group: Buchanan said Ontario Pork has submitted a plan to the commis- sion to downsize its governance structure to 80 councillors from more than 100 and the executive from 12 members to nine. "The decision was to open things up a bit, more open marketing, but at the same time the commission is concerned about the role Ontario Pork plays currently," Buchanan Elmer.: Buchan said. "We support the continuing role of having that marketing arm on a fee for service." Buchanan said Ontario Pork cur- rently markets less than 20 per cent of the pigs in the province, with the other 80 per cent going through direct sales. He said it was unanimous among those who -appeared before the commission in July supporting On- tario Pork that there should be a fee for all 'producers who receive representation, not only those who market hogs. Buchanan said the commission agreed and in its ruling addedthat a fee should also be included when hogs are sent out of province. Producers in Western Canada are charged' this type of fee, rang- ing from 18 cents to 20 cents per : - hog, Buchanan says, adding that Ontario prices and how the fees will be collected are still being con- sidered. Buchanan said the commission is ``trying to offer some choice in the marketplace," after it appeared the way the industry is currently func- tioning is unsustainable, especially for smaller producers. "There's been about 3,000 people get out of the pork business in the smaller end of the scale over the last decade," he said. "Having some choice in the marketplace may in fact help you get a better price." He added a financial protection plan that would guarantee pay- ment to producers, unlike what Ontario Pork has traditionally of- fered, should be a part of the new system, paid for: by the Ontario government. 4ent Speaking about -the changes to the way hogs will be marketed in Ontario, Buchanan said, "We be- lieve this is better for the industry and will put more money in your pocket." C �Nt • yY S l "� ?';'�Ati'V. '3 14,4; +t' -`