Whole Hog Cookbook Celebrates Pork Industry Heroes

GUELPH - Ontario Pork proudly celebrated Canada’s Agriculture Day with the launch of The Whole Hog.

The 200-page book is a collection of pork recipes, stories and tips gathered from people who work across Ontario’s food supply chain, highlighting local food and the people who put food on our plates.

“The Whole Hog book tells a unique story of individuals from across the value chain who are bringing high-quality pork to the people of Ontario and the world,” said John de Bruyn, Chair of the Ontario Pork Board of Directors.

Recipes were collected from dedicated farmers, top-flight chefs, truckers, veterinarians, nutritionists, processors, retailers, and backyard grillers. Their stories provide valuable insight into the care given to animals and the sustainable practices being used by farmers.

“Our family loves what we do, which is producing a safe, healthy and nutritious food source for people to enjoy,” said Lambton County pork producer Cassie Van Engelen. “Having our family recipe on display is pretty exciting and I hope our story shines a positive light on our industry.”

Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie was on hand for the official book launch and commended the unique stories that are embedded within the book.

"It's very exciting, the quality of the book is phenomenal, and the content is amazing," said Guthrie. "It's very unique, right from source to plate and following the sustainability, it's a very good story."

Oxford County pork producer TJ Murray said, “I believe all farmers are on the same page when it comes to protecting our animals, land and water. As much as the book is a series of recipes, I hope it provides education on what goes into our farms and your food.”

Proceeds from the sale of the book will support Feed Ontario. Since 2013 Ontario Pork and its members have proudly donated over 299,267 pounds of pork, distributed through the Ontario network of food banks.