Pork industry fears a public backlash over producer's crisis

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

The future of 4,500 animals, and the Ontario public’s perception of the pork industry, are in jeopardy after Haldimand County Hydro cut off a Cayuga area hog farmer’s power at 11:15 a.m. today. 

Wayne Bartels, who owns the weaner and market hog operation with his brother Geoff, says he can keep the barns running for 24 hours using diesel-powered generators. Bartels says the utility cut his power because he is more than two months behind in payments and owes $11,000. 

He says he asked the utility to delay cutting service until he could apply to a federal loan program intended to help Canadian hog producers weather the current industry crisis caused by high input costs, low market prices and H1N1 influenza. The program began earlier this month. 

Bartels is a spokesperson for the 100-member Beginning Farmers group, which failed to qualify for an emergency direct payment under the province’s 2007 $130 million cattle, hog and horticulture program. 

Bartels says a lack of short term funding from the provincial government has compounded the crisis for Ontario’s hog producers. 

He notes the Quebec government paid more than $300 million to its hog producers this year. “Our government in Ontario hasn’t paid one cent.” 

He says government help is needed because industry “right sizing” won’t work. Even if half of the province’s hog producers went out of business those remaining wouldn’t be profitable because prices are based on the U.S. market where prices remain low. 

Doug Curtiss, acting president and CEO of Haldimand County Hydro, says the utility “tried to go to great lengths” to notify animal welfare groups and head off a crisis. 

The utility has disconnected other farms for non-payment but the size of the Bartels’ operation made the situation “definitely unusual.” He says it’s too early to tell from the utility’s statistics if the number of service cuts to farms has risen in recent months.

Power would be restored to facilitate the local SPCA’s removal of the animals, he adds. Provincial animal welfare laws allow the Ontario SPCA and its affiliates to enter properties and seize animals in distress.   

Kelly Daynard, program manager of the Ontario Farm Animal Council, the provincial industry’s animal welfare organization, says she first learned of the situation Sept. 22. 

Daynard says the council worked with animal welfare organizations, the province and industry representatives to help Bartels, including coordinating an opportunity to sell the animals, “but there doesn’t seem to be anything that he wants us to do to help.” 

Daynard worries about public backlash: “The public has been very very supportive of the hog industry to this point and we don’t want headlines of pigs dying in the farms, for sure.” 

Keith Robbins, Ontario Pork’s director of communications and consumer marketing, says his organization tried to facilitate management of the situation. 

Today Ontario Pork sent an e-mail to producers across the province detailing the steps taken, including steps to either sell or euthanize the animals. The e-mail concludes: “His (Bartels’) decision to let his animals die does not reflect the many other Ontario hog farmers who act responsibly and who have the utmost respect for animal welfare.” 

Robbins explains the distribution of the message to all Ontario pork producers with e-mail was motivated by a Sept. 22 directive from Ontario Pork’s board to inform producers of all activities. 

Bartels says the e-mail’s claim that he decided to let his animals die is false. “We’re born and raised to take care of animals and that’s what we do for a living.” 

Oxford hog producer Tina Vehof objects to the e-mail, saying it violates Bartels’ privacy and unfairly suggests that he decided to allow his animals to die. A member of the Beginning Farmers group, she also blames Ontario Pork for not having pushed provincial agriculture minister Leona Dombrowsky harder for emergency funding. 

Searching for short-term funds to help producers is another board directive, says Robbins, who asserts the e-mail was sent after Bartels had already contacted the press. He adds the province’s decision not to provide short term ad hoc payments makes it more challenging to find the financial relief.  Options will be discussed at Ontario Pork’s policy conference Nov. 10 and 11, he says. 

Robbins says the organization had received six responses to the e-mail by late Monday afternoon. Responses were divided equally between supporting and criticizing the organization for its actions.

Ernie Hardeman, the provincial Conservatives agriculture critic, says in a news release that if the province doesn’t ante up support “this will be just the first of many farmers facing situations like this.” 

A spokesperson from Dombrowsky’s office could not be immediately reached for comment. BF

UPDATE 4:57 PM Wed. Oct. 14, 2009

The following comments appeared in an email sent today to Better Farming from Kelly Synnott, communications advisor to provincial Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky:

“We (Dombrowsky and the government) know that the pork sector is facing challenges. That is why we have been working with Ontario Pork and the federal government to establish a national program for our pork producers.

“We are pleased that the federal government has recognized that these current challenges are not restricted to Ontario and announced a national program for our pork producers. This program was supported by Ontario Pork and the Canadian Pork Council.

“To help farmers hit hard by rising costs and decreased prices, in December 2007 we announced $150 million in one-time assistance to Ontario hog, cattle and horticulture producers.

“Every year we have in place a business risk management program that is funded by Ontario taxpayers – called the AgriStability program that is available for all farmers – this year we provided over $100 million to that program. This program continues to provide direct financial assistance to all farmers, including hog farmers.

“In addition, Ministers agreed at the last Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers meeting to conduct a strategic review of business risk management programs to ensure that these programs are working for all producers moving forward.“ BF