Glenn Black and his fast-growing group of small-flock
chicken producers have been told that the Chicken Farmers of Ontario marketing
board won’t listen to proposals for policy changes.
That, says Black on his now-popular blog, clears the way to
ask either the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission or the OMAF appeal
tribunal to change the policies.
They and the Practical Farmers organization want the minimum
flock that can be raised without quota increased from 300 to 2,000 birds.
Black is also asking the provincial government to allow
small-flock owners to process their birds on the farm so they don’t have to
either set up, or have their birds custom-slaughtered at, a licensed packing
plant.
Black is conceding that would still be required for flocks
of more than 300 birds.
Black has calculations posted on his website indicating that
an increase from 300 to 2,000 birds for thousands of small-flock owners would
fill only a tiny percentage of Ontario’s chicken market.
He has also shown how the number of followers of his blog
has exploded after being available for less than two months.
He is encouraging small-flock owners to learn what’s
involved, to join a petition and to help him prepare to go to either the
commission or tribunal.
