The Rural Voice, 1996-11, Page 49PERTH
County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER
Larry Skinner, President
519-291-4870
• The Rural Voice is provided to Perth
County Pork Producers by the PCPPA.
Identified lot selling — an idea whose time has come
The opinion expressed within
does not necessarily reflect the view
of Perth County Pork Producers'
Association.
Back in February, at our monthly
Perth County Pork Producers
meeting, one of the directors
presented a resolution, which, if
passed, would call'on the Provincial
Board to implement Identified Lot
Selling. The resolution passed.
I will admit to being slightly
ambiguous at the time, but I voted
for the resolution to, at least,
guarantee debate at the OPPMB
Annual in Toronto.
The resolution was presented in
Toronto, was debated, but was
ultimately defeated by the
delegates. Since the February
meeting I have thought a lot about
Identified Lot Selling, even though
it was narrowly rejected in Toronto.
I think we as producers need to take
another look at this concept!
What exactly is Identified Lot
Selling?
Although my definition might be
slightly simplistic, I would suggest
that Identified Lot Selling would
allow processors an opportunity to
buy product (hogs) that more
accurately meets their needs.
Producers would or could then be
compensated based on the relative
merits of their product.
For those producers, willing and
able to more closely match their
production to the processors' needs,
it should mean extra compensation.
Conversely, we would likely see
reduced compensation for inferior
product. Producers who are not
meeting the market's needs would
no longer be able to hide behind the
"Pool Price System".
I don't believe "Identified Lot
Selling" needs to be complicated, in
fact it could be argued that it is in
place right now in various farms.
One example would be those
producers who are shipping on
Sunday — for Monday morning kill.
Currently this is called a "time of
delivery" contract - but there is
extra compensation for the extra
efforts for what could be called
"Identified Lots".
There are other criteria that
would allow us the ability to
differentiate. Such as:
1) shipping in tight ranges on the
carcass grid
2) shipping healthier product
3) some packers want no black hair
follicles
4) increases cutability i.e. larger
loin eye.
One packer has a package that
includes most of these qualities as a
group and has a compensation
package in place as well for those
who reach their targets.
When HACPP is up and running
smoothly it will also differentiate
the value of hogs.
We are currently counting the
Pacific Rim markets as a means of
increasing our exports. Succeeding
in capturing even a portion of that
lucrative market will be, to a large
degree, dependent on our ability to
guarantee the quality of our
product, in some cases right back to
the farm.
Should there not be
compensation for the producer who
is able to fill this market need? We
like to tell ourselves that we
produce an above average product
in this province — or country — yet,
we are not differentiating between
the producers who through
genetics, management,
organizational skills or attention to
detail are producing different
qualities of hogs.
I believe that if we want to
continue to grow as exporters of
pork, that we must show more
creativity in the approach we take
to marketing. To that end I also
believe the generic hog is a thing of
the past.
I have purposely not addressed
the impact that this initiative might
have on the "Pool Price System"
because I am not sure what that
impact might be.
For all of the above reasons, I
think we as county directors and
producers should be, at the very
least, asking our Provincial Board
to take the lead, and study the
impact that Identified Lot Selling
would have on our industry.
Hopefully, they could have a report
ready for the annual meeting in
1997. If in fact they find mcrit in
this idea we could implement it
either on a limited basis or as a pilot
project.
I believe Identified Lot Selling is
an idea whose time has come!O
— submitted by Russ Danbrook
PERTH COUNTY
PORK
PRODUCERS'
PORK PRODUCTS
• Smoked Pork Chops
• Fresh Pork Chops
• Stuffed Loin Chops
• Smoked Sausage
• Smoked Cheddar Sausage
• Pork Burgers • Bacon Burgers
" • Boneless Rib 0' Pork
• Teriyaki Pork Steaks
• Bruce Packers Summer Sausage
• Vittorio's BBQ Sauce
AVAILABLE FROM:
Fred de Marlines (Sebr.) 393-6812
Dennis Zehr (Brun.) 595-4771
Martin van Bakel (Dublin) 347-2666
NOVEMBER 1996 45