Ottawa, ON - Canadian Pork Council Chair Jean-GuyVincent is pleased with the successful fall meeting that was recently held in Ottawa. Producers from across Canada met over two days to help shape the future of the industry and address the many challenges and opportunities for the next year.
Members had the opportunity to update participants on the status of their provincial industry, discuss strategies on the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) and hear details on how labour availability is affecting the meat processing sector.A discussion also took place on swine health, the implementation of the PigTrace traceability program and efforts to establish a national promotion and research agency.
CPC recently commissioned a paper on the financial situation faced by the hog and pork sector for the fall meeting.
The paper highlighted:
·Despite current historically strong returns to hog farmers, they have not yet replenished industry equity lost during the previous seven years,
·Current profits are a least in part due to the production impact of the PEDv disease in the U.S.
·Prices could come under strong downward pressure in 2016 if production increases in North America as much as amount conditions encourage.
CPC's Board of Directors also held elections to choose the Chair and Vice-Chairs for 2015. Rick Bergmann, a Manitoba producer, was elected as Chair and will assume this position at the first meeting of the CPC Board in January, 2015.Bill Wymenga from Ontario, was elected as 1st Vice-Chair and Frank Novak from Alberta was elected at 2nd Vice-Chair.
"I thank you all for your support for the past three years, it is quite clear to me that pork farmers from all across Canada share the same abiding commitment of providing consumers a nutritious, save and affordable food supply," said Jean-Guy Vincent, Chair of the Canadian Pork Council."The Board of Directors has invested a great deal this year in all of the issues while maintaining as a priority the members' needs.We need to work together, perform better and review the way we work at all levels so that we can remain competitive in markets here in Canada and abroad."
The CPC serves as the national voice for hog producers in Canada. A federation of nine provincial pork industry associations, our organization's purpose is to play a leadership role in achieving and maintaining a dynamic and prosperous Canadian pork sector.
Source: CPC