Based on the economic turmoil that the hog industry has been in over recent years, it is no surprise that barns have been de-populated and the industry has retrenched. One of the major events in recent months has been Big Sky Farms entering creditor protection. Big Sky is the largest hog operation in Saskatchewan and to say this is a large story in the Canadian hog business is an understatement. Losing $40 million in the last 25 months and owing $96 million to creditors creates some real interesting speculation and commentary.
With the Saskatchewan government owning 2/3 of the company (world’s largest government owned farm), many grain farmers (unsecured creditors) are putting a lot of pressure on the provincial government for payment. This included a recent blockade at a company feedmill. The former NDP government made the investment which seems to be against some of the anti-corporate sentiment of the party. So now the conservative government who inherited this issue has to clean up the mess of the former government and the company.
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