AAFC Response – Statistics Canada Food-Processing Data

Information and Implications for the Agriculture and Agri-Food Sector

April 23, 2020 OTTAWA – Canada’s pork producers are facing an unprecedented crisis as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has put farm families and their livelihoods at risk and the potential for a sharp rise in food insecurity has never been greater. Producers across the country now expect to lose $30 to $50 a hog for every hog they sell in 2020, costing farmers across the country $675 million dollars. Farmers are being pushed to the brink.

COVID-19 has pushed the pork sector into free fall by disrupting supply chains and driving down prices. The market devastation caused by COVID-19 will only increase as the pandemic drags on.

“We are asking the government for an emergency payment of $20/hog so that pork producers can continue to pay bills, feed pigs and keep producing food for Canadian families” explains Rick Bergmann, Canadian Pork Council Chair and Manitoba producer. “Without it, family farms will be lost.  In turn we will continue to see disruption in the food supply chain, and increased food insecurity as supplies tighten and food becomes even more expensive,” adds Mr. Bergmann.

The full CPC Press Release can be found here.

Click here to listen to an interview with Dr. John Patience, Swine It, with some practical nutritional tips (and cautions) related to dealing with potential delays in marketing of hogs.

With many packing plants closing or slowing down, Dr. John Patience discusses “managing pig growth during special conditions”.

Real Agriculture
By: Kelvin Heppner
April 11, 2020

Olymel says it will be resuming operations at its hog slaughter and cutting plant at Yamachiche, Quebec on Tuesday, April 14 after closing for more than two weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The plant, which normally processes 28 thousand pigs per week, has been closed since March 29, after nine employees tested positive for the virus.

“On behalf of Olymel management, I would like to thank all of the Yamachiche plant employees, who have been following lockdown instructions since March 29 and have agreed to come back to work on April 14 in these current difficult circumstances. To everyone at the Yamachiche plant and our other Olymel plants who has tested positive for COVID-19, we wish you a speedy recovery,” says Olymel president and CEO Réjean Nadeau, in a statement on April 11.

The full article can be found here.

Ontario Agriculture Risk Management Program Overview

AgriStability Information

CFIA – Updated Guidance to Meat Slaughter and Processing Establishments on Prevention and Response to Suspect and Confirmed COVID-19 Plant Employees

The guidance document outlines steps that meat slaughter and processing establishments are required to take to address exposure risks for both establishment and CFIA employees. This is an update to the document that was published on March 31, 2020.