Ottawa, ON - Pork producers from across Canada met in Ottawa this week for the Canadian Pork Council's annual fall meeting to help shape the future of the industry and address the challenges and opportunities for the next year.
Rick Bergmann, Chair of the CPC and a Manitoba hog farmer, kicked off the event with a look at the many positives the pork industry is currently experiencing in Canada.
"We have more than 7,000 pig farms across Canada producing more than 25.5 million animals a year," he said during his opening remarks on Nov. 24. "With direct farm gate annual sales in 2014 of over $4 billion, the pork sector is the fourth largest source of farm cash receipts of any Canadian agriculture commodity."
Since a downturn in the pork sector in the late 2000s due to unfavourable exchange rates, high feed prices and lower domestic consumption, Bergmann points out the industry has made a remarkable rebound.
"We create 31,000 farm jobs which, in turn, contribute to 103,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the country. The total economic activity generates, when farms, inputs, processing and pork exports are factored, is almost $24 billion."
Bergmann adds that exports to 92 countries last year totalled over 1.14 million tonnes of pork and pork products, valued at over $3.71 billion.
"I would like to thank the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for delivering remarks and staying to speak with members of the industry," added Bergmann. "We appreciate Minister MacAulay and Deputy Minister Andrea Lyon joining us for the evening; their presence speaks loudly to their commitment to the pork industry. We are especially pleased by the Minister's comments in support of our access to foreign markets including his government's commitment to resolution of the U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL) dispute."
CPC hosted their "Friends of the Council" reception as part of the two day meeting.The reception attended by over 150 guests including CPC's directors and members, senior government department officials, foreign embassy representatives and allied industry partners provided an opportunity for guest to learn more about the pork industry and to sample a wide variety of pork dishes.
During the two days of meetings, CPC staff, board members and provincial reps updated members on the state of the industry as well as on numerous issues including international trade, food safety and animal care, traceability, transportation and marketing. An update on the focus for the council's Swine Health Initiative revealed upcoming and ongoing national projects.
CPC's board of directors also held elections to choose the Chair and Vice-Chairs for 2016.Rick Bergmann was acclaimed as Chair and returns for a second one-year term to lead the organization. Bill Wymenga from Ontario, was elected as 1st Vice-Chair and Frank Novak from Alberta was elected as 2nd Vice Chair.
The CPC serves as the national voice for hog producers in Canada. A federation of nine provincial pork industry associations, the organization's purpose is to play a leadership role in achieving and maintaining a dynamic and prosperous Canadian pork sector.
Source: CPC