Manitoba hog farmers plead for emergency bailout

Manitoba hog farmers are urging the government to help them through an emergency bailout due to high feed prices, low pork costs and fluctuating currency exchange rates.

The farmers are requesting for a short-term bailout for hog farmers, similar to programs set up in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Manitoba Pork Council president Karl Kynoch said he hopes the provincial authorities would hear their appeal as the federal government did. He said if hog producers fail, many other jobs in trucking and meat packing would also be lost.

Kynoch said feed mills will also shut down, which will also affect packers and eventually resulting to more job losses.

He said many producers have cleaned out their savings accounts and retirement funds, and are on the verge of quitting. He acknowledged the best long-term solution for the industry is a worldwide cull to reduce the number of hogs.