Farm Products bows out of Tribunal hearing

Thursday, July 16, 2009

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

It’s unlikely that the Farm Products Marketing Commission will take part in the upcoming Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal hearing of its directive to end Ontario Pork’s monopoly marketing powers, says chair Geri Kamenz.

“We respect the (Tribunal) process,” Kamenz says.

He says the Commission remains convinced that ending the pork board selling monopoly “that this the right direction the value chain should be taking to be sustainable in the long term.”

 “Every effort was made to solicit the input from all different elements of the value chain” in the pork marketing hearings in July 2008, Kamenz says. “The Oct. 6 decision was a culmination of that process.” BF