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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-08-12, Page 6Pig 6 The Huron Expositor • August 12, 2009 News Number of Huron pork producers facing foreclosure on the rise Cheryl He__th OnMENEINEM Pork producers are not making the bacon. Canada's pork industry is in dire straits due to a combination of fac- tors including dwindling demand, worldwide, thanks largely to misin- formation about the spread of the H1N1 virus, which is consistently inaccurately dubbed the Swine Flu. ' In fact, the advent of the H1N1 virus led to the immediate . ban of Canadian pork imports in a number of the industry's markets, including Egypt. And things aren't getting any bet- ter. Wayne Black, president of the Hu- ron County Federation of Agricul- ture, reports .the number of produc- ers facing foreclosure is on the rise. Indeed, there are mounting concerns for ,both the. eco- nomic and men- tal health of pork producers. Issues nega- • tively impacting the industry in- clude the United States' Country Of Origin Label - Si lilil l kl. (`01 \ S 1: I . I ing rules, tightening U.S. border regulations, and an overall global re- cession. Black notes Canadian pork is most- ly an export commodity and since a number of its foreign markets con- sider pork a luxury and not a staple, the pork is coming off the fork in fa- vour of cheaper goods. The end result, locally as well as countrywide, is a vast number of pig farmers are barely holding on to their family farms as debts mount and the revenues- continue to spiral downward. While things have been tough in the pork sector since about 1998, this past year has proven especially devastating for those trying to eke out a living, says Black. Things have become so tough, notes Black, that one Member of Parlia- ment's call for a pig cull has -many supporters since the supply far ex- ' ceeds the demand. Black likens the situation to the auto industry where in the past few years the supply has out -paced de- mand. The difference, says Black, is there is government attention and public sympathy for autoworkers. "Let's ,respect the people that have these pork farms. They. don't have a pension, they don't have a sever- ance package," he says. Black reports the HCFA is in the process of finding ways to help pork producers deal with the stresses involved in the industry since for many of them, farming is their only livelihood. "I don't know You are invited to attend these area churches • ST. THOMAS ANGLICAN CHURCH. A Congregation of the Parish of The Holy Spirit Sunday, August 16 Worship at 9::30 am %nest Ofl,dant: Art Smith -Windsor Everyone Wekome BETHEL BIBLE . CHURCH An Associated•Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 519-527-0982 Sunday Worship 10am Youth Group Wednesday 7 pm Pastor Mark Kennedy EVERYONE WELCOME NORTHSIDE UNITED Welcomes you Sunday, August 16 @ 11 a.m. Guest Speaker Ruth Long H.P. UCW President Ice Cold Lemonade served before Church begins 54 Goderich St. W., Seaforth ® 519-527-2635 www.. annorthsideunited.ca ST. JAMES ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH WELCOMES YOU 14 Victoria Street, Seaforth 519-345-2972 Sunday Mass 11 am. ST. PATRICK'S, DUBLIN Saturday Mass 5 p.m. Sunday Mass 9 a.m. FR. CHRIS GILLESPIE EGMONDVILLE UNITED CHURCH Pastor: Steve Hildebrand Worship August 16:10:30 AM Sunday Schoolto Resume in September Come and Worship with us Elevator and Ear Buds Available Everyone is most welcome FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 59 Goderich St. W Seaforth 519-527- 0170 Sunday Aug 16th, 11:15 a.m. Mary Jane Bissett Sunday School & Nursery Provided. Ev • is invited to attend. if it's as bad as the Bovine Spongi- form Encephalopathy Crisis of 2003, but there is going to be a lot of empty pig barns this fall," says Black. Black adds the federal government is investigating ways to prop up the industry, including the Growing For- ward suite of programs, but nothing concrete has come forward thus far. Teresa Van Ray, a Dashwood -area pork producer, further illuminated municipal, federal and provincial governments, nationwide, this past - June, when she mass -mailed a letter outlining the struggles pork produc- ers are facing. On Thursday afternoon, she had the opportunity to further drive her points home during a presentation to Wayne Easter, federal agriculture critic, during a roundtable discussion on agriculture held at the Kinburn- area cabin of Liberal member and agriculture activist Nick Whyte. Like Black, she notes there are a host of issues hurting the pork sec- tor, so much so that producers are seeing returns of $30 to $80 on an animal that cost $150 to start with. She says one of the battles pork producers are facing, at least edu- cationwise, is at the grocery -store level since consumers still have an ample supply of pork. The unfortu- nate thing is it hails from the U.S. She notes the industry creates 70,000 Canadians jobs that produce $3.2 billion in cash receipts. Even with all the stats on how much the industry gives back to the economy, Van Ray's main message was calling for a compassionate re- sponse. "There needs to be a plan to help producers exit the industry with dig- nity," she says. "When a farmer loses their job, they lose their home." Echoing Black, she notes Employ- ment Insurance and retraining are options that aren't available. Another main point for Van Ray goe""*N, es r. 11 LOOKING FOR QUALITY CHILDCARE? Seaforth Children's Centre offers fun, affordable and educational early childhood programs for children ages 18 months -12 years old. NOW ACCEPTING FALL REGISTRATIONS Flexible full or part time care available, as well as before and after school programs. Open 6:30am to 6:OOpm Monday to Friday. Programs are offered at a variety of locations including Seaforth Child Care Centre - 82 Chalk Street St. James Elementary School, St. Patrick's Elementary School in Dublin For more information please Call 519-527-0682 is pushing the government to elimi- nate the phrase "swine flu" from the public lexicon when addressing the H1N1 virus: "I want to ensure H1N1 is referred to as H1N1," she says. Further, notes Van Ray, it seems unfair for Canadian producers to be forced to follow stringent regulations and standards while imports need not adhere to the same rules. Plus, says Van . Ray, it's frustrating that while countries' like the U.S. legis- late that government bodies must buy U.S. produce and meats, Canada has no such rule. The main message with regard to the plight of pork producers today, says Van Ray, is that if there's a glim- mer of hope on the horizon, it needs to shine. "If there is going to be an announce- ment, it needs to be announced soon," says Van Ray. For his part, Easter, who has been a MP since 1993, notes he was . once a pork producer, and he knows all too well how difficult times have be- come. "The hog industry is in an unbe- lievable crisis," he says, noting one of his fears is interest rates will rise. Further, he notes, the sad thing is the general public and governments of the day don't seem to care. "It's as if nobody cares," he says, noting the state of the hog indus- try is one of the reasons the federal Liberals started up the roundtable discussions on agriculture in rural areas. "It's as if there isn't a crisis in this country," he says, noting the irony is: "The farm leadership doesn't say anything either." Easter pledged to address his concerns to the sitting government though, he warns, the Conservatives rule by fear and intimidation and the only way for farmers to have their voices heard on Parliament Hill is to stay unified and to stick with one message. In the interim, the Huron County Federation of Agriculture is reach- ing out to pork producers. The HCFA, like members of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, is urging farmers facing a credit crunch to get in touch with their lenders rather than attempting ta stave them off until foreclosure pro- ceedings begin. Those seeking either financial ad- vice or emotional support are urged to call The Farm Line at 1 888 451- 2903. Those seeking only financial advice can call the Farm Debt Medi- ation Line at 1 866 425-5556, while those seeking emotional support can call the Farm Stress Counsellor at (519) 284-2263. Teens seeking a friendly ear can' call 1 888 451-2903, which is a Farm Line/Ontario 4-H Club partnership.