May 11, 2007

Manitoba's pig producers dismayed over rejection of hog slaughter plant proposal

Pork producers in Manitoba, Canada have expressed surprise and disappointment on the decision by all three provincial political parties on an OlyWest proposal to build a new hog slaughtering plant in Winnipeg.

Manitoba Pork Council chairman Karl Kynoch says, at a time when the hog industry is already feeling the effects of a provincial government-imposed pause on hog sector expansion or development, the decision of the political parties to kill the proposal is a big blow to the pork industry.

Kynoch said the recent plant closures could decrease Winnipeg's slaughtering capacity as its current shipment of 1.3 million slaughter hogs across the US border could have been processed to the plant.

He said the rejection could put a huge risk of border trade action eventually down the road against Canada's pork farmers.

Kynoch notes the plant could have created numerous jobs in Winnipeg. But the refusal will certainly lose a lot of value added product and income in the province.