Ontario’s hog industry is taking a collaborative step forward.
"We’ve established the Ontario hog industry advisory committee to help Ontario Pork Producers’ Marketing Board transition to a new hog marketing environment in which producers will have more marketing options," said Elmer Buchanan, acting chairman of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.
The call for broader value-chain leadership in Ontario’s pork industry was an outcome of the July 2008 commission hearing into the future role of Ontario Pork.
The commission carried through to establish the committee to provide input and feedback to Ontario Pork as it moves away from sole authority for the marketing of hogs in the province.
"The council brings producers, processors, and the board together to discuss how we move from the old system to a new system smoothly. That is its immediate challenge," said Buchanan. "From what I’ve seen at the committee’s first two meetings in November, I’m impressed by the commitment to make it effective for all stakeholders in Ontario’s pork industry."
In addition to Ontario Pork establishing an autonomous hog sales and marketing group for Ontario producers who wish to use its services, the committee also turned its attention to the importance of investigating options to provide producers with a payment protection program.
