The Rural Voice, 2002-04, Page 65PERTH ifil*
County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER
Jim Van Herk, President
519-595-4863
• The Rural Voice is provided to Perth
County Pork Producers by the PCPPA
OPPMB annual meeting debates issues
Any opinions expressed herein may not
necessarily reflect the views of the Perth
County Pork Producers' Association.
First, the OPPMB annual meeting
was held at the International Plaza Hotel
in Toronto on March 13 and 14, 2002.
The two-day event has been divided
into two one -day sessions. The first day
has been developed into an industry
forum, with a broad range of expert
speakers on topics ranging from Foot
and Mouth disease, the U.S. market
outlook, td environmental concerns.
This has become an excellent learning
opportunity for Ontario producers and is
open to all producers in the province.
The second day is the business day
and was started by the chairman's
address. Clare Schlegal outlined the
state of our industry, his concerns and
the directions that the board hopes to
address in the future. We quickly moved
through the operations reports. By 10:00
a.m. we were being updated of issues
facing our industry. These included
safety nets, medicated feeds, GPS
mapping of our farms and research.
Resolutions were a big part of our
day. We debated everything from
environmental issues, safety nets
concerns, marketing, service fees and
research.
One of the resolutions which had
considerable debate, would have
reduced the number of councillors to
125 from the current approximately 225
councillors. This motion was finally
defeated. Another resolution of some
consequence called for Ontario Pork to
find a way to apply a service fee to
swine operations in our province who
benefit from the efforts of the OPPMB
but currently do not contribute any
service fee. This issue has now been
raised three years in a row at the Annual
Meeting and we need to have it
addressed.
A part of the Annual Meeting that I
think has great benefit is the chance to
meet with and talk to people from other
provinces. We had delegations from
Alberta Pork, Saskatchewan Pork and
Manitoba Pork, and possibly, though I
don't know personally, from Quebec
Pork. Being able to interact one on one
with these folks gives us not only a
chance to compare our problems but
also to learn from what each other are
doing right.
All in all, I think it was a good
meeting and I would like to congratulate
the staff and directors of Ontario Pork
for a job well done.
WEST PERTH NUTRIENT
MANAGEMENT BYLAW
Last Friday we received news that no
more appeals can be heard about the cap
of 600 animal units in West Perth's
nutrient management bylaw. This
means that the cap will stand, at least
until Bill 81 — the Nutrient Management
Act is passed.
For the Perth County Pork Producers
Association the issue has never been
about the number of animal units that
the cap imposes. Rather, it has always
been about the right of a municipality to
unilaterally impose this restriction.
While West Perth's cap may (or may
not) be high enough to sustain economic
viability for their farmers, the right of a
municipality to impose a cap could lead
other municipalities to set caps which do
not allow their farmers to make a decent
living on their farms.
As such it has always been our
contention that if a cap has to be
imposed, it should be provincially
mandated, not municipally, to create a
level playing field for all farmers and
farms across the province.
Interestingly, we heard West Perth
officials talking about how this was
done, not necessarily with environ-
mental concerns in mind (although
water quality issues were nominally
mentioned), but more as an effort to
save the "family farm". and preserve
agriculture in the municipality.
Their cap of 600 animal units equates
to 2400 feeder pigs, 3000 sows in an
early wean system, or 300 sows in a
farrow to finish system.
In talking to some producers
involved with loop production, they do
not see this number affecting them
dramatically at this time because most
feeder hams are currently 2400 head or
less, and most sow barns are 2500 head
or less.
Ironically, more concern has been
generated by the independent "family
farmer" that 300 sows farrow to finish
could be very limiting to them in the
future. 1 must be missing something here
because I don't see how this v ill help
the family farm.
If we give the benefit of the doubt to
West Perth and accept 600 animal units
as being realistic for a family farm, then
what are the implications?
Since 600 animal units (2400 feeder
hogs or 300 sows farrow to finish)
requires approximately 300 acres for a
nutrient management plan. then
according to West Perth that is a family
farm. One can only suppose that in the
future that they will, according to this
logic, limit the size of cash crop
operations to the same 300 acres so that
they can continue to "Save the family
farm" in West Perth. Come on! Since
we all understand that this is not
realistic, and that it is something that
West Perth would not undertake. then
we have to assume that livestock
operations are the target of this bylaw,
however they wrap it up in the "family
farm" banner. Livestock farming
should not be constricted compared to
other segments of agriculture.
SALE OF MAPLE LEAF FOODS?
Jim Long, reporting on the recent
Iowa Pork Congress for the "Ontario
Hog Farmer" commented on a rumour at
the congress, which. if true. would have
Cargill considering the purchase of
Maple Leaf Foods, Canada's largest
meat processor and feed company.
If true, and I say if; we would he
looking at one of the largest pork and
beef processors in North America. At
this time, it is just rumour but it is
certainly one to involve a lot of
speculation in our industry.
Russ Danhraok
2nd Vice President, Perth County Pork
Producers Association
PERTH COUNTY PORK
PRODUCERS' PORK PRODUCTS
• Smoked Pork Chops • Fresh Pork Chops
• Stuffed Loin Chops • Smoked Sausage
• Smoked Cheddar Sausage
• Bacon Burgers • Teriyaki Pork Steaks
• Vittorio's BBQ Sauce
AVAILABLE FROM.
Steve Hulshof (Kinkora) _.
Martin van Bakel (Dublin)
Walter Bosch (Monkton)
Ted Kellar (Mitchell)
348-8167
345-2666
356-9000
348-9836
APRIL 2002 61