Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Pork Featured Articles

Better Pork magazine is published bimonthly. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Hog marketing exemption recipe for packer pressure?

Thursday, February 18, 2010

image

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

The blanket exemption from Ontario Pork’s marketing powers created by the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal decision this week leaves producers “open to manipulation” by packers says Elbert van Donkersgoed, agent for the farmer who began the appeal process more than a year ago.

Van Donkersgoed, who represented Glencoe producer Rein Minnema during the appeal process, predicts that pork producers will find themselves pressured by processors to “go the exempt route” or face a non-renewal of their production contracts.

He says following the Farm Products Marketing Commission’s 2008 ruling that took away Ontario Pork’s marketing powers “a number of producers . . . were being told you need to quit making a fuss about the Commission decision or your contract might not get a renewal.”

“One can imagine a similar pressure happening under this type of circumstance that the Tribunal has created.”

Tuesday’s decision by the Tribunal re-instated Ontario Pork’s key powers. The Tribunal also granted producers a blanket exemption from those powers.

Van Donkersgoed says: “we think there was a better way, and we did our best to articulate it during the hearing process.” He and Minnema wanted the Tribunal to make room for pilot projects and “experiments” with “various groups” becoming agents of Ontario Pork and being delegated powers of settlement and logistics by the board.

“This process (Tribunal members) have created leaves pork producers open to . . . some manipulation by the processing sector. In our view that is not gong to be healthy for the sector over the next stretch.” Van Donkersgoed says three producers expressed concerns about manipulation in telephone conversations with him yesterday.

Van Donkersgoed says he and Minnema are pleased with the decision otherwise. “The future of Ontario Pork’s powers are back in the hands of producers,” he says. The decision preserves Ontario Pork’s marketing powers and “takes the Commission’s decision off the table. It doesn’t mean the ideas behind the Commission’s decision are gone.” The decision also mentioned a plebiscite if producers want marketing powers changed. BF

Current Issue

October 2024

Better Pork Magazine

Farms.com Swine News

Taslar Trading Corp. gets new grain dealer license

Thursday, October 31, 2024

A grain company in Saskatchewan received a new license from the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) after letting a previous license expire days before. On Oct. 23, Taslar Trading Corp., received a grain dealer license from the CGC for its location in Regina, Sask., the CGC’s website... Read this article online

40 Agriculture Groups Urge Senate to Reject Bill C-282

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Forty of Canada's leading agriculture and agri-food groups sent a letter today to the Senate urging them to reject Bill C-282. Bill C-282 is an Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management). "This bill risks handcuffing Canada’s... Read this article online

Innovating Crop Nutrition with AI and Biologicals

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Chad Mangan, national sales director for NutriAg, recently shared information on how to mitigate crop stress and to maximize yields during the 2024 Great Ontario Yield Tour event in Chesterville, Ontario. NutriAg, a Canadian crop nutrition company, focuses on optimizing nutrient... Read this article online

Boosting Soybean Yields with Advanced Agronomy Techniques

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Strategic nutrient management and the impact of environmental conditions on soybean growth was the focus of a recent presentation by Shaun Casteel, Associate Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University, during his presentation 'Setting and Expanding on Foundations to Maximize Soybean Yield'... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2024 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top