MB Producer Organizations Support Retaliatory Tariffs Against US

Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and the Manitoba Pork Council (MPC) are both in support of the federal government's decision to move ahead with the retaliatory tariffs against the US, if the mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) requirements are not repealed.

 

MBP General Manager Melinda German says there are pockets in the US of those who support COOL, but notes more and more people are questioning what COOL is about.

 

She feels for the most part, people are behind this move.

 

"I think there is support in terms of what we're trying to do and where we're trying to move. I think when you do something like this, there's going to be some pressure back, but I think people realize what we're after and where we have to go."

 

MPC Chair George Matheson notes retaliation is not a direction that pork producers on either side of the border want to see, but it is a necessary step in resolving the issue.

 

He says they were busy meeting with US officials this week at the World Pork Expo in Iowa.

 

"Our main goal here was to meet with the Senators, or at least their assistants, which we did and communicate to them how important this is to both countries. I think it was important that we did that because to some degree the reaction is 'oh, is that an issue?'. Yes it's a huge issue, and they gave us a fair bit of time and listened intently and we're hoping that they take this message to the Senators and they vote to repeal it."

 

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.