The Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-03-13, Page 41Pork producer
by Ralph Pearce
One vision.
More than increasing
exports, more than less "even -
sive -feed,
pen -sive -feed, more than lean -meat
hog production, . Canada's pork
,producers need one vision, .One
vision of the future, a direction
that markets ,aroundthe woad
would recognize as Canadian.
According to John Lauer„
President of Agribusiness -with
JCA M. Schneiders, one of the
biggest hurdles facing Canadian
pork producers on. world mar-
kets is the lank .of focus.
Establish one and our long-ternn
prospects will improve.
At February's Southwestern
Ontario Pork Congress in
Itid etown, Lauer spoke of pork
g p
producers' need to adapt 'to :.a
changing world outlook, At a
conference he attended in Japan
earlier, one of the' most fre7
'quently asked .:question . was,
what are they doing in
Canada?" Ife argued that this
country has an excellent reputa-
tion as far as quality' and ability
to meet new customer demands
are concerned. But globally,
Canada lacks a plan for the
future.
In terms of how Canadian ;
producers currently measure -up.
inithe world, Lauer said Canada
is holding its own, with a 10.7
per cent increase over the last
five years. production south . of
the border continues to rise, up
14..8 per cent over the same
period (most of which`has come
in the last two to three years).
Markets in Hungary are down
51.7 'per .cent, 192 per cent in
Poland ' and are down 44.0 per
cent in Rnssia. "On the other "side
of the world, there's a .59.0 per
cent expansion in China, despite
large scale slaughtering of hogs
due to higher feed costs. Lauer
reported; state intervention (in
the form of subsidies) is expect-
ed
xpect ed yet production numbers will
almost certainly grow, In Japan,
hog :production is down due to
an aging farm population and
little interest in future farming"
from the younger generation.
So where are the .markets of
the future?
Lauerpointed s cificall to
p t � Y
Korea, Japan and parts of,the.
European Union and Eastern
European countries; 'Korea: is
showing signs :of gradual west-
ernization with an increased
standard of living. And its guv-
ernment is e nvoiced its pork
industry can compete globally
and is ,therefore providing subsi-
dies, Japan, along with its aging
farm population, is showing, a
M ►NPFAC 'l RE: 3 B'Y ` r
PINE RIVER CHEESE & BUTTER CO-OP
"Located 6 Miles south
on Highway:,
••
ncar
;Irl►E' s o 1got 011otsogrosmotsil1
need one
shift' away from seafood and
tib to a more meat -based diet.
hicb countries must
Canada watch for competition`
First, Lauer recommended,
producers forget about coiupet-.
lug with the U.S.: it's the low-
cost producer in production and
processing. In fact, American
objectives are to make pork the
meat : of choice in the U.S. by
the" year 2000 and to be the
largest pork exporter in the
world (and with an increase of
218.0 per cent Over the past five
years, it looks as if they are).
Instead, Lauer :saidto look at
Denmark. The Danes are setting
their sights on the EU markets
and Eastern Europealthough'
they've cut back on exports to
Japan.
Most important, reminded
Lauer, is the shift towards a
global economy. He confessed it
will be a challenge with intense
competition worldwide and a
greater demand for safety and
quality assurances" from Asian
customers J. nor related how
the Japanese are especially cau-
tious about animal welfare,
safety and disease control - thee.,
want to know everything about
every phase of production). . is
will increase the demand `d for
better documentation' among
Canada's hog ,producers.
In terms of adaptability,
Canada has an edge over U.S.
producers; .Americans find it
difficult to .chane to meet the
demands of the Asian counties.
But if Canada'sroducer s can't
supply Asian: demand or' keep
theirpcosts in line, then cus-
Corners will head south.
Lauer insisted Canaan pro
ducers concentrate on new tech-
nology, joint . ventures, partner-
ships
artner«shi s and strategic alliances to
keep costs down. He also indi-
Form K000res
*25
cated the need to restoreand
build c*nfidonce and trust
among world markets. . And
establishing a vision would go a just way to doing that. It
would :signal to .international
.markets that Canada is ready for
a ,single, global economy; that
producers in this country are
ready for the future.
-
E.00dland Ontario
Quick Fact
Ontario produced ab, ut 3.29.
million pounds of sweet corn in
1993with a farmg ate. value of
some $25 Pillion Of this, more
than 263 million pounds went
for processing, 10,9 million
dozen ears weresold fresh.'
Cornis the 'only grain native to
the Americas and the second
,most important inthe world'
after rice (wheat is third).
*from
page
bition that wlihll
do your whole
county proud, all; the " resi-
dents from up in Clifford to
down here in. Stephen. We
know we can put on an excel-
lent show: We have an excep-
tional 'site and exceptional peo-
ple," said Craig.
The advantages of- the
Dashwood site are numerous,
according too Craig ' and
McGavin. One of the most
attractive features of the Becker
al site people
farm; which spans 2,000 acres
including about 1,200 rented
from neighbors is that the match
can be held all in one spot. 'jibe
land is relatively flat, well
drained and free of stone, and
there are Many good paved;,
access roads to the. area.
•Another " advantage of the
Dashwoodarea site, is less tra-
ditional. It' was preferred over a
Walton area site because of
proximity: to cellular phone
towers, assuring good reception
for the many businesses which
will operate from site during the
IPM,
In recent.years IPM's have
been dubbed with theme's or
slogan's such as Machines in.
Motion, Field of Friends and
last . year's Country Living
Exposition in Ayr: •
McGavin said the, committee is
considering hOlding" a contest to
come up with a theme, but they
will be " open to suggestions in
any event.
x by Monte Hum.
fliel
Gathered in: the lee of an ice
hill to evade the slashing 'arctic
winds, a group of 15 Peary
Caribou have discovered a large
*Makers of Good, Cheese Since 1885* . mat of lichen `This hardy com- y
is
bnation' of` fungi and bacteria
1 / , ()Q '1 winter food staple for these.
:r rr . animals, who have, found a rare
Cheese, made from organic milk
UR: EAcTOFVSTi
• Cheddars • Cheese Curds • Marble Cheese-
• Flavoured Cheeses • Mozzarella •v.tmported:Cheeses
• Specialty -Grocery items
• CHEESE TR •
AYS...GI'FT BOXES
.interested in Fundra sing ... Give us a gain
HOURS:
SUMMER $IQURS1,.May 1: to October 31: OPEN 7 UAYS'A WEEK
Monday Thursday g am-6:pm. Friday 9. am -9 pm •
Saturday 9 am -6 pm and Sunday 11 arum -pm
*mot ,y Vt�S:. Noverriber 1. to April 30
Monday -Saturday 9 am -5 pin,. Sunday CLQSEU•.
patch that has not been grazed
in years. Unaccustomed to -such..
a winter feast; the caribou feed
contentedly while, all around
them,the season spends its fury.
landcaribou _are_; plenti-
ful throughout the Canadian
hie thesmaller
Arctic, while Peaty
Caribou ranges among the
Queen Elizabeth Islands of the
High Arctic and io farther south
than here on Banks Island.
Ominously, the Peary's numbers
in general have dwindled by 90
per cent since the early ,1960s
and, Since" 1972,.the Banks
Island population has declined.
by 70 per cent, There is no sign
of a reversal in this trend.
It has been -,suggested -that
severe winters.'`and hunting pres-
sures have rcontributed to this `
decline. Watching; this small
group leaves no, doubt as to the
hard winter. While they eat, the
animals keep a wary eye open
for wolves, whom they often
evade by; fleeing. onto the lake
ice where they can outrun them.
In summer, they might take to
the lake water, where they can
outswirn the canine hunters.
%man- bunters .have taken
their toll as well. Inuit of six
Arctic Island communities
depend on caribou both physi-
cally and culturally. But there
are other factors cr rtspirring
against the animals. For
instance, while the Peary`s
reproduction rate is high, their
infant mortality rate is also quite
high due to the harsh conditions.
they live in.
In 1991,the diminutive Peary
Caribou colored and marked
left
much like their . mainland
cousins, : but only about 75 : per
cent of their average weight-
were classified as "endangered,"
efforts to -help them,,
increase their numbers' began.
At present, two of the six
involved Inuit communities,
Grise Fiord and.. Resolute Bay,.:
have voluntarily taken steps to
conserve Peary Caribou, but the
issue is not simple.
Not enough is yet known
about these: anirnals Of the far,
fat north. There are several sub-
species of caribou in the islands
and .studies are underway" to
determine' just how many of
them are Peart/ Caribou.
7'