Canadian pork groups to introduce "H@ms"

The Board of Directors of Manitoba Pork Marketing Co-op (MPMC) and SPI Marketing Group will launch a new company that will provide hog marketing services.

Called H@ms (hog administrative marketing services), this new establishment will provide Marketing, Procurement, Settlement, In-Transit Insurance and Risk Management services for the parent companies. H@ms will be located in Winnipeg, with a satellite office in Saskatoon but its comprehensive service package will not be limited to producers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

H@ms will operate under MPMC and SPI will have Board of Directors coming from both groups.

Manitoba Pork Marketing Co-op and SPI Marketing Group are producer- owned organizations that represent over 500 producers that market approximately two million hogs annually.

H@ms is expected to be fully operational by 1 January 2010 and executives are already raving its benefits to Canada's pork industry.

John Preun, President of Manitoba Pork Marketing Co-op said producers and industry participants in other provinces will see the benefit of H@ms while Don Kolla, Chairman of the Board for SPI, said there is potential in the future for processors to find value in the services provided by H@ms.

Don Hrapchak, General Manager of SPI said the economic performance of the industry has "pushed producers to be creative in minimizing costs over the last few years, and we (MPMC and SPI) felt our contribution to this would be the consolidation of services. This move will enable both organizations to continue to provide a high level of service at a reduced cost, he said.