A game of "what if" | Library Docs

Title

A game of "what if"

Abstract

FOODCHAIN [byline column] The PEI hog industry has shrunk from 735 operation in the late 1970s to the current 21. This situation reflects a larger agricultural trend but was accelerated by the 2008 decision of the new Liberal government to shut down the only federally inspected hog plant in Charlottetown. This has resulted in a higher transportation cost to the local industry. The average pig to market cost for hog producers in Canada is $3.60. (Prior to the plant closure, PEI hog farmers's cost was below that amount. To ship hogs to the nearest inspection plant in Quebec, it now costs PEI hog farmers nearly $16.00 in transportation costs, plus and additional new fee for disinfection to control the PED outbreak. The total current cost for PEI hog farmers to ship pigs to market is approximately $20.00. At recent committee hearings, Paul Larsen (chair), Scott Dingwell (vice chair) and Tim Seeber (executive director) of the Hog Commodity Board asked for governmental transportation assistance that would match the hog industry's contribution to farm GDP.

Date

2014-04-16

Issue

1

Title	A game of "what if"
Authors	I. Petrie
Abstract	FOODCHAIN [byline column] The PEI hog industry has shrunk from 735 operation in the late 1970s to the current 21. This situation reflects a larger agricultural trend but was accelerated by the 2008 decision of the new Liberal government to shut down the only federally inspected hog plant in Charlottetown. This has resulted in a higher transportation cost to the local industry. The average pig to market cost for hog producers in Canada is $3.60. (Prior to the plant closure, PEI hog farmers's cost was below that amount. To ship hogs to the nearest inspection plant in Quebec, it now costs PEI hog farmers nearly $16.00 in transportation costs, plus and additional new fee for disinfection to control the PED outbreak. The total current cost for PEI hog farmers to ship pigs to market is approximately $20.00. At recent committee hearings, Paul Larsen (chair), Scott Dingwell (vice chair) and Tim Seeber (executive director) of the Hog Commodity Board asked for governmental transportation assistance that would match the hog industry's contribution to farm GDP.
Journal	Island farmer
Date	2014-04-16
Volume	41
Issue	1
ISSN	0823-7735