The re-organization means there will be five directors elected to represent the new zones and four elected at large. They will serve three-year terms.
Director Arno Schober informed them that their numbers declined by 57 to 997 last year, but only those who deliver market hogs are counted. Those specializing in marketing weaners are not included.
The business was “largely profitable” last year “but we are struggling now,” he said.
Market analyst Kevin Grier said he expects hog prices to remain at, or a bit below, last year’s levels this year. He said demand proved to be much stronger than he anticipated a year ago when he predicted prices would average about $87, but actually averaged $98.
He said it’s difficult to know whether demand will remain strong this year in the face of inflation hitting household budgets. Demand increase is a technical term meaning consumers will buy more even if prices have increased; a decline in demand is when they buy less even when prices decline.
Exports increased by 7.8 per cent and 68 per cent of that pork went to the United States, eight per cent to Japan and Mexico is becoming a more important market, especially for hams, Schober said.
Director Eric Schwindt reported on progress a new committee on emergency preparedness is making, planning how to cope if there’s an outbreak of African Swine Fever that stops exporting.
Some of the planning involves having a strong argument that only one half of Canada would need to face a ban, another part to line up financial supports for producers and packers and a host of other challenges.
Frank Wood and Laura Eastwood, swine specialist based in Stratford’s office for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs outlined the importance of preparing a plan to deal with an emergency, such as an outbreak of African Swine Fever or a barn fire. Six students were hired to help large-scale producers prepare plans last year and more will be hired to continue this assistance for others this year.
The plans need to be comprehensive and detailed. For example, there should be a site plan that identifies the location of buildings, of hogs of various ages and their locations within the barn, the location and type of neighbours (eg. school or seniors residence), a plan for disposing of deadstock such as composting, which is the preferred method, or burial.
If it’s burial, the property needs to be evaluated to keep the site away from streams, drainage ditches and tiles, wells and wetlands.
The plan needs to be accessible for those involved in handling an emergency, such as fire fighters or Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials. Electronic plans can be filed with Ontario Pork.
So far emergency preparedness plans have been prepared for about a third of Ontario’s hog producers who account for close to half of the provincial production.
