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The Rural Voice, 1999-09, Page 89PERTH 11� County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER Richard Yantzi, President 519-655-2766 • The Rural Voice is provided to Perth County Pork Producers by the PCPPA Any opinions expressed herein may' not necessarily reflect the views of the Perth County Pork Producers' Association. The editorial headline read: "Leadership vacuum hurts pork industry". At first I became defensive and wanted to lash out at the writer. Then I began to think a little more deeply. How did he come up with this analysis? What signals are we sending to industry observers? And what is more important, how do weencourage more unity in the body of producers? Last March, at the Annual Meeting, the "New Beginnings" marketing program was endorsed in a somewhat strange way as the direction for the foreseeable future. I say "strange" because the early tone of the meeting clearly indicated that producers wanted the board to take control of producer -packer contracts. Before the meeting ended, however, there was agreement to proceed with the new marketing program called New Beginnings. This includes direct producer -packer contracts along with three other strong producer options: platinum contracts, pool -plus block contracts and regular pool sales. Ontario Pork sees these four marketing options as a package, something for everyone in the industry. They are different, but not necessarily conflicting. These options reflect the diverse needs of producers and the desire of packers to have a direct relationship with the producer of the product and vice -versa. That was March. Five months later there is the perception that producers are fragmented. Are we? Some point to the new Ontario Pork Industry Council (OPIC) as an example of a splinter group. OPIC's goal is to have representatives from every industry sector come to a table to define the needs of the pork industry and formulate a vision for the future. Some people have confused this initiative with a new marketing plan. It is not! It may offer some marketing ideas, but its focus will be much broaderthan that. Represented are Pulling together pork producers, financial institutions, builders, feed ' companies, veterinarians, breeders, packers, government and others. (Not a complete list.).OPIC has the potential to be very positive for the pork business in Ontario because it will encourage linkages where they have been weak or non-existent before. And it should help everyone to realize how jobs are connected to and spun off from the pork industry. Why then are some producers feeling disoriented or unsure of their direction? Low prices have contributed to that. When there is not enough money to pay the bills, when you have to pick and choose between what you pay and what you leave until next month, you start to question everything. I think there is more. Some producers have never quite gotten over the Annual Meeting and the inability to wrestle the direct -contract "monster" to the ground. These producers have seen producer -packer contracts as the ultimate evil, the demise of the co-operative movement. I respect these men and women. They are intelligent and passionate about what they believe, but here is where the problem comes in. Some have been very critical of the leadership of Ontario Pork. Now any leader worth his or her salt expects criticism. It seems to go with the position and there are times when it is justified. But is it possible that it is not so much the style of leadership that is in question as it is the underlying marketing philosophy? In other words, do some people simply refuse to accept the New Beginnings program? Generally, producers want a more unified position, but continual bombardment of the marketing direction is splitting hog farmers in two. It seems that producers are being Next meeting of Perth County Pork Producers Association is September 8 at OMAFRA Conference Centre, Stratford forced to take sides all over again like they did at the Annual Meeting. A compromise was reached in March and a compromise never satisfies anyone completely, but a consensus is necessary to move forward. Continually dredging up old arguments serves only to distract us from our goal — to better market our product and serve all producers as best we can. It is possible that New Beginnings can do that. The framework is there. A producer can move into an option that he or she agrees with and thinks will provide the most financial benefit for their farm. In time, the direction should bear fruit, but it needs time to grow to maturity. I wanted to say a word about some meetings held in Perth and Huron counties in July and August. The first was with Kris Duflo, a Michigan producer. The second featured Ken Doyle from Illinois and the third scheduled for August 19 had representatives from the George Morris Centre, the packing and retail sectors and Ontario Pork. Producers attending these meetings have had an excellent opportunity to learn more about the forces shaping the industry. They have also heard how other farmers are marketing their product and how to sharpen their own marketing skills. These meetings were organized by producers and clearly illustrate how county associations can play a key role in educating and providing information to alI producers. Well done!O – Submitted br Larry Skinner 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: Fred de Marlines (Sebr.) 393-6812 Martin van Bakel (Dublin) 345-2666 Walter Bosch (Monkton) 356-9000 Ted Keller (Mitchell) 348-9836 SEPTEMBER 1999 85 1