Pork Sector Facing Severe Market Challenges

Canada's pork sector is facing severe market challenges due to COVID-19.

 

Rick Bergmann is chair of the Canadian Pork Council.

 

"We've had some plants close down temporarily because of COVID-19," he said. "That backs up the product on the farm and that just causes more and more problems. We're thankful that we haven't had any major continued closures like our friends to the south, however that said, even when they're going through some of these challenges in the U.S. as well, that has a direct link to ramifications here in some markets in our country."

 

Bergmann says the federal government needs to act now to help producers.

 

"We're at the cusp of something that is extremely significant," he commented. "We're at a different point where some very difficult decisions are going to have to be made in regards to the family farms unless there's going to be an interest by our federal government to help us through this very significant COVID storm."

 

Bergmann discussed the issue Wednesday over the phone with Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.