North American pork producers say their needs weren’t considered by companies that have decided to phase out sow gestation stalls.
“Hog farmers, to survive in the fiercely competitive international pork market, must be able to recover their costs of production,”said Jean-Guy Vincent, who farms in Sainte-Séraphine, Quebec who chairs the Canadian Pork Council.
“Recent announcements from a wide array of companies engaged in the North American pork supply chain, outlining new purchasing and sourcing requirements have been made without adequate discussions on the repercussions at the farm level.”
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The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) recently hosted a meeting of pork industry leaders at Niagara Falls to discuss common interests with representatives from the U.S. National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the Mexican pork producer organization, the Confederación de Porcicultores Mexicanos.
“It is quite clear to me from our discussions that pork farmers from all across North America share the same abiding commitment to providing consumers a nutritious, safe and affordable food supply,” Vincent said. “Pork producers will continue to adapt to consumer demands but this must occur in partnership with the entire value chain and government.”
