Key issues highlighted at semi-annual meetings

Alberta Pork’s 2024 semi-annual meetings took place in Grande Prairie, Red Deer, Drumheller and Lethbridge from Mar. 11 to 14, welcoming more than 250 producers, industry and government partners. Alberta Pork’s board of directors and staff would like to thank those who took the time to make the meetings a success.

Stan Vanessen, Chair & Darcy Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Alberta Pork shared the stage with Stephen Heckbert, Executive Director, Canadian Pork Council (CPC), covering topics from drought concerns for producers and Alberta Pork’s business plan goals, to work being done at the national level to advocate for producers’ priorities.

View the presentation slides for Stan, Darcy and Stephen.

Following presentations, those in attendance were asked for their feedback on Alberta Pork’s weekly report and economics dashboard, water usage, barn insurance and AgriStability. Responses collected will help inform how Alberta Pork serves producers’ needs going forward.

If you haven’t already responded, and even if you didn’t attend a meeting, Alberta Pork encourages you to complete our survey. Completed surveys can be emailed to communications@albertapork.com (a reply to this email) or faxed to 780-479-5128.

Find below a summary of discussions:

• Alberta is expected to experience significant drought conditions this summer, which could affect feed availability and price, along with water availability. The risk of wildfires is also heightened.
• Producers are urged to mind their feed levels and keep bins topped up as much as possible. Consider that prices could rise in the coming months.
• Producers are urged to consider how much water they may need this year, being careful to conserve as much as possible.
• Producers are urged to keep their properties free of items that could catch fire easily. Mowing grass and pruning trees regularly can help. Ensuring you have a fire extinguisher in each of your farm vehicles is recommended.
• Emergency response planning in advance of a crisis is important. AgSafe Alberta can help producers develop their plans.
• Alberta Pork and the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) have formed a committee to review AgriStability and other business risk management (BRM) programs.
• The Alberta Pork Producers’ Commission Regulation now requires processors to provide Alberta Pork with settlement data for all Alberta pigs. The next step is to begin collecting, aggregating and reporting on this information.
• Alberta Pork is working with Commodity Professionals Inc. and 33 producers in southern Alberta to pilot a new cost of production measurement software.
• Alberta Pork continues to work with industry partners and government on prevention and preparedness plans for a potential African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, including the complete eradication of wild boar and supports for producers.
• Alberta Pork is working with the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) and other provincial pork producer organizations on political advocacy initiatives. The next mission to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, with Alberta Pork representatives and others, will take place in April.
• PigSAFE | PigCARE is now officially implemented across Canada. All of Alberta’s 278 commercial producers are trained on the programs, with 98% fully certified.
• Electronic swine manifest (e-manifest) training continues for producers shipping to Olymel in Red Deer and Maple Leaf in Lethbridge.
• Alberta Pork, Sask Pork, Manitoba Pork Council and Ontario Pork have been collaborating to recruit shared economics expertise for producers.
• Alberta Pork, Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council are collaborating on promotional campaigns to support pork consumption.