Loading...
The Rural Voice, 1983-07, Page 62PERTH COUNTY PORK PRODUCERS' NEWS Pork Producers discuss animal welfare movement A high degree of interest in the animal welfare movement was demonstrated by the large number of North Zone county directors who attended a special meeting in Mitchell called by the Perth County Pork Producers Association. Richard Smelski, OMAF Swine Specialist, chaired the meeting and introduced special guest speakers Dr. Frank Hurnik, U. of Guelph Animal Behaviorist and Cedric Harrop from the OPPMB. Dr. Hurnik told the directors that history is a very good teacher and can help to predict the future. The animal welfare movement got started in England after Ruth Harrison published her book "Animal Machines: The New Factory Farming Industry". Within a few years legislation was passed in many European countries requiring that all animals have the right to five basic freedoms to (1) get up, (2) lie down, (3) turn around, (4) groom itself and (5) stretch the limbs. Hurnik believes, however, that educa- tion, not legislation is the best method of changing people's behavior. For this reason he is willing to meet with livestock producers to share his know- ledge of animal behavior and to explain the animal welfare movement. He says that any good swine manager will have no problem conforming with the volun- tary code of practice and will have nothing to fear from the animal welfar- ists. He warned the producers that they should get their own houses in order so that animal welfarists will have nothing to complain about. In his opinion, the pork producers are taking an intelligent and enlightened approach to the welfarist movement. This is not the case with the producers of white veal, which is the area where the welfarists are beginning to concentrate their efforts. Hurnik says there are three possible responses to the animal welfare move- ment. One, ignore them, do nothing and hope they will go away. Two, fight the issue through the media and TV. Or three, invite people to your farm and explain how farmers work and how well they treat their animals. "The animal welfare movement is an insidious cancer rapidly growing within our midst and it is not going to go away," Cedric Harrop, director from the OPPMB, PG. 60 THE RURAL VOICE, JULY 1983 told the county directors. "Any pork producer who thinks it is a waste of time for the OPPMB to develop a volunteer code of practice should watch the city papers for reports on the activities of the extremists in the movement --- I call them humaniacs." He went on to say that some animal welfare groups have over 200,000 members and are beginning to influence the election of candidates to political office. A few years ago Agriculture Canada decided to finance a special committee made up of representatives from pro- ducer organizations, veterinarians, truck- ers, the Meat Council of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Humane Socie- ties to develop a national volunteer code of practice for all livestock. For the first time a broad based committee has sat down together to work out acceptable methods of handling animals humanely at all stages of their lives. In answer to a question from the audience, Hurnik said that the two areas of pork production of greatest concern to the welfarists are the permanent housing of sows in crates and the early weaning of baby pigs. He suggested that the height, width and length of crates may eventually be regulated as well as the length of time a sow can be kept in a crate. Hurnik says Canada is the most peaceful country in the world with regard to animal welfarists, mainly because Canadian farmers have seen what has happened in Europe and the U.S. and have taken steps to improve the handling. of livestock. Hurnik believes that the dialogue between the Canadian Federa- tion of Humane Societies and the livestock producers has led to an understanding of good farming practices and the development of a voluntary code of practice acceptable to both parties. However, we should not forget that it is the animal welfare people who have destroyed the sealing industry in Canada. After the meeting Hurnik said: "I was very impressed with the quality of the questions asked by the directors. I didn't expect to see so many turn out on a hot, dry evening. Obviously, pork producers are sensitive to the problem and realize there are no simplistic solutions. Forward Contracting Rescheduled to September The O.P.P.M.B.'s forward contracting program which was to begin June 13 has been rescheduled to the week of Sept- ember 26th. Weather and the uncertain markets caused the delay. Many producers are very interested in the program, but so far the Board has received few signed contracts. The wet spring has made getting crops in the top priority with little time for anything else. Also, the packers have their problems. Strikes have tied up major plants in the U.S. and Quebec. When you add this to the uncertain market outlook and all the questions resulting from Canada Packers move to Kitchener, very few want to tie themselves down to long term commit- ments. With all this going on the Board believes forward contracting just cannot get a fair trial. By September the dust should have settled. Then, both producers and pack- ers will be in a better position to make sound, unrushed decisions. Health Study Questionnaires ? A Reminder The University of Toronto (U of T) still needs at least another 200 completed questionnaires to finish their study of human health hazards found in the hog barn. County secretaries have received extra copies and more are available from Toronto. If you or your neighbours have not filled in the survey please do so as quickly as possible. The U of T's deadline is July 1st. BROAD COVERAGE PROPERTY INSURANCE AVAILABLE The Board has completed arrangements with Reed Stenhouse Ltd. to provide Ontario pork producers with low cost, broad coverage property insurance. The O.P.P.M.B. Group Insurance Plan is not a Board program. The Board just acts as the umbrella for Reed -Stenhouse to provide acceptable service to Ontario producers. The program should be in full swing by late July or August but Reed -Stenhouse will begin accepting policies in late June. WEANER PIG MEETING IN JULY The Ontario Weaner Pig Committee annual zone meetings are scheduled for early July. On the agenda will be the election of zone representatives, issues of current concerns and an update on the year's activities. Meetings are tentatively scheduled for: July 5th - South Zone, Woodstock July 6th - North Zone, Listowel July 7th - Central Zone, Uxbridge July 8th - East Zone, Kemptville Your county secretary will be receiving the details soon.