Friday, August 23, 2013

Glenn Black calls for $10-billion refund from chicken farmers


Glenn Black says the members of the Ontario chicken board owe consumers about $10 billion for over-charging them by using a faulty cost-of-production formula.

The chicken board recently adjusted its formula to reflect improved feed conversion rates.

Black calculates that the difference between the old and new rates amounts to $1 billion per year, and that it’s been going on for 10 years, hence his claim for $10 billion.

He says that amounts to an average $3.7 million per quota holder and says they could pay it back by selling their quota.

Black further points to published claims by both the Ontario and national chicken marketing bodies that they charge only a fair price for their family labour and investment.

He says that’s false advertising and consumers could call in officials who enforce the Ontario Consumer Protection Act under the section that makes it a violation for “A representation that misrepresents the purpose of any charge or proposed charge.”

Black has set up a blog to serve as a critical watchdog on the chicken marketing board. 

He is lobbying for a policy change to allow people to raise up to 2,000 chickens per quota period without having to buy quota. The current limit is 300 per quota period.

Black used “chicken mafia” to headline his most recent posting on his blog