Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. canola or olive oil
• 8 medium chicken drumsticks (about 2 lbs.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 small finely chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 1-1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard (or grainy Dijon mustard)
• 1/2 c. full-fat sour cream
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp. dry
• 1 tbsp. capers, chopped (optional)

Instructions

In a large skillet heat oil to medium heat. Season chicken drumsticks with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes.

Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, coriander and basil and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter, cover with foil to keep warm.

In a small bowl, whisk mustard with sour cream, tarragon and capers. Whisk mixture into the skillet and simmer sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper). Return chicken to skillet, heat and turn to coat. Serve with crusty bread.

Source: Manitoba Chicken Producers

BBQ Chicken Bacon Bites

Ingredients

• 3 chicken boneless skinless breasts cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cubes per breast)
• 12 slices bacon thin cut, cut into halves or thirds
• 3/4 c. spicy barbecue sauce 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. pepper or to taste
• 24 cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. parsley for garnish
• 24, 3-inch skewers (wooden or bamboo) or toothpicks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminium foil and place a cookie rack on top of the baking sheet.

Add barbecue sauce to a shallow bowl. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

Depending on the thickness of your bacon, cut each slice in either half or 3 pieces. Wrap each piece of chicken with a piece of bacon. Secure with a 3-inch wooden skewer. Roll the wrapped chicken into the BBQ sauce, making sure it’s nicely coated.

Place chicken pieces on cookie rack on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Set aside to cool slightly. Thread a cherry tomato onto the end of each skewer and place on a serving platter. Garnish with parsley, and serve with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

Source: Manitoba Chicken Producers

The post Manitoba Flavours: One-Pan Chicken Dijon appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Both the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and Manitoba Beef Producers have accused the federal government of ignoring its own research and argue that the overwhelming majority of cattle arrive from long hauls in good condition.

The beef sector argues that the changes might actually decrease animal welfare.

Why it matters: Anyone shipping livestock will have to be in compliance with new animal health regulations by next year.

Tom Teichroeb, Manitoba Beef Producers president, recently blasted the changes as “asinine.”

“Now you’re challenging what’s working really well and moving the intervals that were previously allowed and not allowing those long-haul trucks to reach that destination,” he said.

The beef industry argues that changes ignore the added stress to animals by repeated loading and unloading at rest stops.

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association has argued that new regulations should have awaited the results of ongoing research, and hopes to better measure handling stress from loading and unloading under actual commercial conditions and will be collecting data through 2021.

Manitoba’s beef sector says it is also worried about biosecurity, should animals from multiple loads use the same rest stop on the road.

“Now they’re going to be unloaded on foreign ground where you might have other cattle that might have disease or other health concerns that you might now pick up,” Teichroeb said.

Teichroeb expects wet-nosed calves bound for Ontario to present the largest problems for the Manitoba sector. The provincial beef group argues that those animals must get to their destination, and their new feed and watering routine, as quickly as possible to minimize stress.

The beef sector, likewise, is less than impressed by the promise of additional cost as truckers rack up extra hours on the road and the need for additional record-keeping as cattle movements become more complicated.

“We already know that the cattle get there healthy, so that’s not a concern of ours. The concern of ours is that this is a huge interruption, not just in the health component, but also in the commerce component,” Teichroeb said.

More rests

Animals will have to be rested, fed and watered more often and for longer under the changed Health of Animals Regulations, published in late February.

The beef and pork industries will see shortened intervals — down from 48 hours to 36 hours for cattle, and a drop from 36 hours to 28 for pigs. Unweaned calves will also spend less time on the road. Shippers must give food, rest and water every 12 hours if a young ruminant can’t be exclusively fed on hay or grain, down from 18.

Broiler chickens, laying hens and rabbits can be on the road for a day before they must be watered, and 28 hours before being given food and rest, compared to old regulations that mandated a stop every 36 hours.

Livestock must then be given at least eight hours before setting foot back in a trailer, up from five hours under old rules.

The CFIA defines “rest” as enough room for animals to lie down without lying on each other, and enough ventilation and, “protection from meteorological or environmental conditions that could lead to suffering, injury or death,” according to the changed regulations.

Animals do not necessarily have to be unloaded at a rest stop, the government has said, but the space within those trailers must have ready food and water and meet the area requirements for rest.

“The overall objective is that animals arrive at their destination safely, and are suitably fed, hydrated and rested,” a government release said.

The federal government argues the changes are a much-needed upgrade to regulations put in place, “at a time when there was little research or information pertaining to the effects or risks of transportation on the well-being of animals.”

The CFIA estimates that about two per cent of transports do not meet with current regulations and that 1.59 million transported animals are reported dead on arrival every year.

“Given the strong public support for preventing the suffering of animals, and the risk to human and animal health, this must be addressed,” a backgrounder published in the February version of the Canada Gazette read.

The CFIA argues that the changes will improve consumer confidence and bolster Canada’s trade status by aligning with international standard, as well as help improve animal welfare.

Likewise, it argues, expanded definitions of “unfit” or “compromised” animals will help clarify transport requirements.

Little impact

New regulations are expected to make little difference to Manitoba’s pig and chicken producers.

Both industries are largely integrated within the province, and it is unlikely that anyone shipping pigs or chickens in Manitoba will run up against those rest interval limits.

Wayne Hiltz, executive director of the Manitoba Chicken Producers, says the shortened intervals are a “non-issue” for the Manitoba chicken sector, since many producers are within an hour of a processing facility.

“We don’t see some of the extended shipping times that some other provinces might experience because they’re a little more spread out,” he said.

The most far-flung chicken producers may only be on the road for three hours, Hiltz said.

The Manitoba Chicken Producers has thrown its support behind the regulatory review of transport rules.

“Certainly, the health and well-being of our birds is critical to the whole industry, absolutely — all stages of the journey from gate to plate, absolutely,” Hiltz said.

There is equally little concern from the pork industry, with major slaughter and processing facilities such as Hylife Foods in Neepawa and Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon both well within the new transport intervals set out by the CFIA.

“There just isn’t going to be a big impact from that for us,” Mark Fynn, Manitoba Pork Council manager of quality assurance and animal care programs, said. “Where there could have been an impact, I guess, would have been international shipments, but really, all of our markets are within that time frame, so I just don’t see that being an issue for us at all.”

The sector will, however, have to invest in training staff to ensure that loading procedures are in compliance with the new animal welfare standards, he added.

Room to change

The livestock sector may dodge feed, rest and watering intervals in the future if trailers and containers change, according to the CFIA.

New regulations would not apply to trailers that, among other things, are equipped with forced ventilation and dispensing systems to provide feed and water to each animal. For animals in containers, like chickens, those containers would have to be designed so that animals in the containers would have the same benefits as if they were free inside the trailer.

The federal government says it has left that loophole open to promote innovation.

The CFIA has given the livestock sector the next year to prepare for the changes. New regulations will come into effect in February 2020.

The post Beef industry blasts new transport regs, but pork and chicken say OK appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

In a ruling in early July the council told MPC to postpone charging administrative fees for 10 years among those participating in the program, recognizing the financial impact the additional fees would have on existing participants. At the same time its ruling stated support for MPC’s move to adopt new policy seeing a need to modernize and update the manner in which chicken is regulated.

• Read more: Direct Farm Manitoba wins specialty chicken appeal
• Read more: Comment: Which chicken, in what pot?

The specialty quota program was launched January 1, 2017 to improve opportunities for small-scale farmers to meet new consumer demands for different types of meat chickens, but raised many questions about the impact it would have on those raising specialty chicken.

Direct Farm Manitoba said it was pleased with the ruling and said earlier this month it felt the MFPMC had heard its main concerns.

In a statement released July 17 the chicken producers also said their organization was pleased with MFPMC’s decision because, aside from ordering the administrative fees be postponed, it showed support for their new program and acknowledged the need for making changes to deal with marketing challenges in a changing industry.

“We believe the decision is fair and reasonable,” said Wayne Hiltz, executive director of MCP in the statement.

“Allowing the Annual Specialty Quote Program to continue means more choices for consumers and more options for farmers.”

The post Chicken producers pleased with specialty quota ruling appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

The appeal is being made by five producers who feel penalized by Manitoba Chicken Producers’ new annual specialty quota program.

The chicken-marketing board announced last fall that as of Dec. 31, all existing exemptions under its former special market development and servicing policy, as well as the annual farm site marketing permit system, would be cancelled and that a new program would require birds be slaughtered at an inspected plant.

Many aspects of the new program were hotly protested after it was announced, including the decision to cap specialty quota at 30,000 kg.

Spokesman for Direct Farm Manitoba (DFM) Phil Veldhuis said their group was informed earlier this month the appeal will go ahead. No date has been set yet.

The changes have affected producers across the supply chain, from those raising chicken who had their specialty permits rescinded to hatchery owners, Veldhuis said.

DFM’s board hopes the hearing draws attention to the wider impact changing a program without consultation has, he said.

“We intend to use this opportunity to both argue for the specific interests of the few individuals who are specifically involved in this matter but also to establish how producers in general ought to be treated,” he said.

“Some discussion needs to take place about how those producers came to be in a position where the program they were used to using was cancelled without any prior notice or discussion. All producers have some concern with a marketing board that acts in that way.”

The Manitoba Farm Products Marketing Council supervises the operation of producer boards and marketing commissions, as well as acts as an appeal body.

The post Poultry farmers win right to appeal MCP’s specialty quota program appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“This is a poor decision for Manitobans who care about where their food comes from, we hope the public will support us as we take this appeal to the Manitoba Farm Products Council,” said Phil Veldhuis, president of Direct Farm Manitoba, which launched the appeal.

It’s the latest move in a months-long dispute as the chicken marketing board attempts to corral all speciality chicken producers under the umbrella of a new, annual specialty quota program. Set to come into effect next year, the new quota program will result in the cancellation of both the Annual Farm Site Permit System and the Special Market Development and Servicing Policy.

However, at least six operations with historic exemptions within the province’s supply-managed chicken production system don’t fit into the parameters of the new specialty quota program. The new rules won’t allow a specialty operation to produce more than 30,000 kg of live weight birds per year. The program also imposes new slaughter requirements, which small producers have said will be difficult to meet given there is limited slaughter capacity in the province — only one provincially inspected facility handles specialty poultry.

Affected producers listed in the appeal include Gregory Toews, Albert Peters-Pries, Rudy Reimer, Sharon Hruda, Harry and Sarah Waldner, Derek and Angela Chipiliski and Mike Hofer of Skyview Colony.

“In some cases these producers have had successful production and marketing of chicken under the terminated program for decades, indeed for generations,” Veldhuis said in the written appeal. “This new program has restrictions, limits and fees which unfairly restrict the producers previously approved.”

He adds that the related transitional program does allow producers exceeding the stated production limit to lease additional quota, but at “a substantial and punitive cost.” To remain at current production levels, affected producers would have to pay between $8,160 and $32,880 per year to maintain historic production levels.

Members of the Manitoba Chicken Producers’ board were not made available to speak on the issue. MCP’s executive director wrote in an email response:

“I would really like to (comment) because there has been a significant amount of misinformation and manipulation of facts on what has been published to date in the Co-operator,” Wayne Hiltz wrote in an emailed response. “Unfortunately, due to the process and possibility that this issue could go to appeal, and my inability to discuss specific producer issues, I am not in a position to offer comment at this time.”

However, in a written response to the appeal obtained by the Manitoba Co-operator, Hiltz acknowledges the fact that the board has “temporarily suspended” a key component of the new quota program — that all specialty birds must be slaughtered in a federally or provincially inspected plant.

“The Board appreciated that the current capacity of inspected processing plants is currently somewhat limited,” he writes, but adds that the board questions the status of the direct farm marketing organization when it comes to intervening in the issue.

The next step for affected producers and Direct Farm Manitoba is to return to the Manitoba Farm Product Council, asking them to hear their appeal.

“Indeed we already did that but they decided to give the chicken producers a chance to fix it first before they heard our appeal at the provincial level,” Veldhuis said.

In the interim, he is urging both farmers and consumers to contact the Manitoba Chicken Producers and Manitoba’s Minister of Agriculture to voice concerns with the new specialty quota program.

The post Small flock producers appeal denied appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

The new program is designed to serve niche markets in the province with fresh Manitoba-raised chicken year round. This is done through a specialty quota that is distributed each year to qualifying farms wanting to raise more than 999 birds – the current provincial quota exemption limit.

Farmers in the room that day voiced concern over lack of consultation, and the impacts of the program for their farms and the wider local food system.

The new quota program will replace an existing exemption permit program upon which several farmers rely. These exemption permit holders are responsible for much of the locally raised chicken available in specialty grocers, farmers’ markets, and restaurants in Manitoba.

The new program would require them to lower the number of chickens raised each year, or pay a penalty on the overage.

For Rudy Reimer, whose family has direct marketed chickens for two generations, this change accounts for a significant portion of his flock, “Under this new program we will be cut back by about 70 per cent from our previous exemption level.”

The cutback is especially frustrating because these farmers already struggle to keep up with demand from grocers, restaurateurs, and individuals eager to purchase their chicken.

Quota is allocated on a provincial basis under the national supply management program, designed to stabilize prices for both farmers and eaters by managing production based on market demand. Supply management keeps farmers – instead of large agribusinesses such as Tyson or Cargill – in control of chicken, dairy, eggs and turkey in Canada.

Chicken – along with dairy, eggs, and turkey – are all foods produced under supply management.

Over the years, however, conventional chicken quota has become extremely difficult to access for new entrants. Quota is awarded to new entrant applicants by lottery, and although quota is issued for free, successful applicants must have the capacity to raise over 200,000 kilos of chicken year round – a size much too large for the average specialty quota holder.

As a result, supply management has become a system accessible only to a few large farmers.

Through quota exemption, smaller farms can raise up to 999 birds outside of the quota system. Over the last few decades however, interest has been revived in production methods and breeds not suitable for the conventional supply-managed system.

As a result of this food renaissance, many new and small farmers are eager to make their livelihood partnering with eaters in the creation of local food systems, but the constraint of quota exemption levels determined by supply management makes it difficult to meet demand and make a living.

Thus, farmers need solutions that reflect the reality of their operations.

One farmer at the meeting in St. Norbert was concerned that requiring farmers to own land and buildings would leave his children – who rent his land and buildings – ineligible for the new program.

Indeed, the capital investment required for quota allocated yearly makes it difficult for any young or new farmer to access. Like any growing business, farmers who raise speciality chickens need multi-year plans to ensure they have the tools to succeed.

Others pointed out that raising chickens on pasture – a method increasingly desired by farmers and eaters – doesn’t require the use of buildings at all.

The disconnect between the new program and the current reality of producers had many farmers questioning the program design consultation process. Hiltz stated that input was gathered from 85 producers along with two small-scale food groups. However, none of the farmers present at the meeting were consulted, and members of both groups reported inadequate consultation or no consultation at all.

The Manitoba Chicken Producers also failed to consult with Direct Farm Manitoba, the newly formed group responsible for representing the interests of small and direct-market farmers.

“Direct Farm Manitoba worked to bring potential producers to hear MCP describe its program and how it might fit smaller producers,” said Phil Veldhuis, president of Direct Farm Manitoba. “I think most producers were pretty frustrated.”

The Manitoba Chicken Producers needs to return to the drawing board, engage in meaningful consultation and develop a program that allows for the food system that Manitobans deserve.

The post Which chicken, in what pot? appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

His operation, which has been operating under a special permit since the late 1960s, will be penalized under a new specialty quota program being rolled out by Manitoba Chicken Producers because it no longer fits the new guidelines.

Existing producers will not be grandfathered at their current production levels under the new program set up to accommodate small-scale operations.

“We were not expecting this,” said Reimer. “The marketing board and (executive director) Wayne Hiltz often used our farm as an example, as a model for other producers… we didn’t think there would be a problem.”

Watersong Farms, near Warren, was granted an exemption of 25,500 birds per year when Manitoba formed its own chicken-marketing board. The original exemption granted to Reimer’s in-laws nearly half a century ago called for the production of roasters — not broilers — and the farm has been selling roasters directly to consumers ever since.

Reimer said the narrow production window allowed under the new regulations makes the new program unworkable on his farm.

New entrants

New entrants to the annual specialty quota program must begin with 10,000 kg of live weight production, while existing permit holders will be granted up to 30,000 kg.

Watersong Farms produces about 75,000 kgs from 16,500 roasting chickens. That’s 45,000 more kilograms than the chicken producer’s board is willing to grant them under the new program.

Reimer said reduced processing capacity is the reason the farm isn’t raising the 25,500 birds its current exemption allows.

“We don’t do our own slaughter here anymore, we used to, but that has been part of the other change because we were anticipating that all chickens would have to be government inspected and our facility at that time had a permit that required us to be non-inspected,” he said, adding he also believed the existing facility could be retrofitted to process the rainbow trout the farm now produces.

So while the farm now has a provincially licensed meat- and fish-processing facility, it is no longer set up for chicken slaughter.

“Now we take our chickens to Waldner’s in Niverville, but it’s an hour away, so I mean we would like more options as far as the processing,” he said, adding the cost of transporting the birds to slaughter has already resulted in passing additional cost onto the consumer.

Slaughter capacity

Slaughter capacity in the province is a huge issue for him and other producers, as only one of the three inspected slaughter plants accepts specialty birds. But it’s the decision to cap specialty quota at 30,000 kg that is most limiting.

Initially, existing exemption holders were offered the chance to produce beyond 30,000 kg per year by purchasing broiler quota that would then be converted to specialty quota. But at a cost of nearly $500,000 and a moratorium on resale for 10 years, Reimer said the offer wasn’t tenable.

“No bank was going to lend us money to buy this quota, not with a moratorium of 10 years,” he said. “So under this new program they say, OK, we understand that you wouldn’t be able to get financing, so to work around it, what we’re going to do is you are going to pay us a penalty levy basically… so it’s like you’re leasing quota.”

The Manitoba Chicken Producers set that levy at 40 cents per kilogram of live weight production over the 30,000-kg specialty quota limit. For Watersong Farms that means making an additional $17,500 per year to keep production at current levels.

Given that Reimer has already increased prices to comply with the move to government inspection, he said he’s not comfortable increasing prices again by at least 25 cents per pound. He notes he has always paid the standard two-cents-per-kg levy to the board.

Stymied

He would like to appeal the board’s program, but said he is being stymied by bureaucracy and indecision on the part of the board.

“We tried to appeal that first rollout,” he said. “But what you need is for them to say no, say no formally, so you can go back and appeal to the Manitoba Farm Products Council. The thing is, they never gave us a formal no, they said it is a work-in-progress kind of thing and then they went back and they brought out this new specialty quota program.”

That lack of a formal no, means they have been unable to file an appeal, Reimer said.

“They are playing games and hoping that we are just going to capitulate,” he said. “And some of the other guys are almost ready to do that because this is the mentality that they have worked with for so many years. The board has always been very authoritarian, they basically said you were only operating under our goodwill.”

Meet demand

Reimer doesn’t agree with the Manitoba Chicken Producers’ position that it is trying to satisfy a relatively small market demand.

“There is a lot of demand for this market, this niche market,” he said. “Niche markets are not only necessarily the way the chickens are produced, or the way they are processed. Niche markets are also about building a relationship between the consumer and the farmer, the consumer who just wants to have contact with the person who is touching their food and producing their food.”

Despite being prohibited from advertising their product, Reimer said they sell out of chickens continually, selling about 99 per cent of their birds from the farm gate.

“We could sell more, other producers could sell more… this market is not full,” he said, noting that his birds are not organic or pasture raised.

“We talk to the consumer, we answer their questions about antibiotics or hormones… that is what they want,” said Reimer. “Now they are going to dismantle it all.”

As of December 31, all existing exemptions under the special market development and servicing policy, as well as the annual farm site marketing permit system, will be cancelled.

The Manitoba Chicken Producers were asked to comment, but did not respond by press time.

The post Producers won’t be grandfathered into new chicken quota program appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

MCP executive director Wayne Hiltz will speak in Winnipeg that day to a producer meeting organized by Direct Farm Manitoba.

Hiltz said he can address concerns the group has raised, which are based on misinterpretations of how the program will operate.

“The concerns that we’ve heard to date, in some cases, were false concerns,” he said, adding that the main thing he wants cleared up is the assertion that the program will somehow force producers now doing specialty chicken to roll back production.

“We are not reducing anyone’s ability to produce chicken,” said Hiltz.

“Those who have been doing permits in the past, who are at higher levels than what the program is for people coming in, are being given every opportunity to continue producing at that level.”

MCP announced in September it is introducing an Annual Specialty Quota Program. It says its intent is to offer new farm entrants an opportunity to become designated producers and service expanding specialty chicken markets, including those for special breeds, weights, production methods and raised in accordance with specific religious groups’ specifications.

Other provinces have introduced similar programs to meet growing local demand by consumers for a more diverse range and choice of fresh chicken.

The newly organized Direct Farm Manitoba group says it’s worried about the impact this will have on those already doing so under exemption permits. On December 31 MCP is ending its Special Market Development and Servicing Policy, under which it granted those exemptions.

Its other complaint is that an annual allocation as this program will offer will make it difficult for new entrants to secure financing to participate.

Hiltz said producers operating under the old system also secured permits on a yearly basis.

“We have approximately 27 or 28 producers, who on an annual basis applied to the board for a permit to grow a specific type of chicken. But that was always year to year. There was no long-term business plan. There was no quota assigned to it. It was an ad hoc program that decisions were made on every year.”

What MCP is pursuing now is a longer-term program to replace that ad hoc approach, he said. Designated producers under the Annual Specialty Quota Program will have submitted business plans to MCP about the type of production they’re doing, then only need to update the board in subsequent years for reapproval, he said.

“The framing that this is somehow less structured is inaccurate,” he said.

Phil Veldhuis, chair of DFM said when they met with Hiltz last week to go over their concerns, the discussions did shed more light on the program.

“They (MCP) did also indicate, to some of our other concerns, that it was their plan to be flexible and supportive of applicants into this program. I’ve suggested that we should make sure people know that,” he said, adding that’s the point of the November 1 meeting.

“The point of this meeting is to make sure they know exactly how this program works, exactly what the opportunities are, and hear it from the horse’s mouth,” he said.

The application deadline to participate in 2017 is also looming. Applications must be submitted to MCP by November 18.

The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the St. Norbert Community Centre located at 3450 Pembina Hwy.

The post Small producers will hear more about new chicken quota program Nov. 1 appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

An independent market gardener had been growing table potatoes for years and selling through farmers’ markets and produce stands.

With the local food market really coming into its own, he thought he’d spied a growth opportunity.

Eventually he began cutting deals with larger and larger retailers, until he made a deal with a retailer that was too large.

Too large because in Manitoba, table potatoes and other root crops are under Peak of the Market, a not-for-profit company with a monopoly on the production and sales of these crops.

Peak wrote the grower and three others saying they were in violation of Manitoba law and needed to register with Peak to continue to operate. The grower who was the initial target of the move said it wasn’t worth it and gave some of his potatoes away and destroyed the rest.

On the surface at the time it looked like a victory for the marketing board, but that wasn’t so.

Manitoba consumers were stirred into action. Teaming up with the growers and independent food retailers, the Manitoba Potato Coalition came to life and began dishing out public relations black eyes.

It claimed Peak favoured large growers and promoted policies and regulations that actively discouraged small growers. It pointed out that just 13 families had a virtual monopoly on table potato production and marketing in the province, and many of them sat on the board of Peak.

Essentially the Manitoba Potato Coalition shone a light where none had been seen for a good long while, and some of what it revealed wasn’t very pretty — where an outside observer could see anything at all.

Among other things, it emerged that Peak’s annual meetings were closed door, and its annual report was stamped confidential and only circulated amongst registered growers.

The impression was not a positive one, and it made Peak of the Market look like a cosy club, owned and operated for the benefit of just a handful of people.

Eventually Peak backed down and pretty much removed regulations for growers with fewer than five acres, allowing them to sell year round to farmers’ markets, small independent retail outlets, roadside stands and restaurants. Identical exemptions for other root crops also covered by Peak of the Market were also granted, up to one acre.

It was good as a damage control effort, but the whole issue demonstrated a certain tone-deaf and ham-fisted approach to dealing with the marketplace.

I’ll hazard a guess that most folks, when reading of the uproar in the paper, likely had a couple of questions spring to mind, starting with, “There’s a marketing board for potatoes?” followed very quickly with, “Why?”

If you’re in a marketing board, these are questions you never want to hear. Because once people start asking questions, there’s no telling where they’re going to stop.

Why the history lesson? It would appear the locally produced chicken market in Manitoba may be heading towards a similar showdown.

Last week the Manitoba Chicken Producers announced new rules governing small-scale producers who produce chicken to different specs than the commodity poultry of the large growers.

Its “annual specialty quota program” as it calls it, will introduce rules and formal quota, while imposing a number of requirements, such as filing a business plan and proof of adequate assets like land and buildings.

MCP has painted the move as an attempt to meet growing market demand for more specialized production. But others aren’t so sure.

Direct Farm Manitoba, the group representing the handful of producers who have been filling this market vacuum, has a few concerns.

Not least of which is the fact it’s been blindsided by a pronouncement from the MCP that it says it’s never been consulted on. It also says many of the program’s elements make it untenable for its members, especially the fact the quota allocations will only run a year at a time, something that makes any investment in chicken production too risky.

Direct Farm Manitoba also claims the program will actually scale back production by many of its members, something the MCP disputes.

The important thing here for MCP to realize is it can’t afford to be seen clawing this production back under its own umbrella at the expense of independent producers who have loyal customers.

A common mistake many in the supply-managed universe make is assuming they’re farming by some sort of divine right, instead of realizing that it springs from the political will of the rest of society.

If this blows up I’m willing to bet most Manitobans will have two questions. “There’s a marketing board for chicken?” and, “Why?”

The MCP should tread very lightly on this ground. It could prove to be quicksand.

The post Editorial: Little chicken appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

It’s moving to an annual specialty quota program it says addresses the reality that the chicken market is becoming more specialized, and will give consumers access to Manitoba-grown birds.

“At the end of the day what we want consumers in Manitoba to have access to is safe, fresh product in whatever option is their preference,” said Wayne Hiltz, executive director of MCP. “Right now, some of these markets are being sourced through frozen products from other parts of the country and we would rather have people eating fresh, Manitoba-produced chicken.”

MCP launched a new annual specialty quota program on Sept. 23 that aims to offer Manitoba consumers more choice in specialized markets, such as Silkie or Taiwanese birds, kosher, halal, and certified organic chicken.

“Traditionally, we have grown different sizes of birds, roasters, Cornish and broilers, but these specialty productions don’t really fit in that model because the size of those markets is smaller,” Hiltz said.

And so, the new program has been established as a response to consumer demand.

“Consumers dictate what the market is and we see the solution to be partnering with small producers to deliver that,” Hiltz said.

In comparison to other provinces, Manitoba’s traditional chicken market has a higher ratio of consumers purchasing fresh over frozen products and MCP hopes to develop similar buying habits within these specialty markets.

“We are already providing fresh product to Manitoba consumers, just not necessarily in all the options they want it,” Hiltz said.

Lukewarm reception

In some cases however, this market has been filled by local producers directly marketing to Manitoba consumers, says Phil Veldhuis, president of producer group Direct Market Manitoba.

He says it’s good MCP is trying to accommodate specialty and small-scale producers, but doubts the new rules will accomplish this. In fact, he says the proposal is generating a lot of concern from his members.

“Several producers currently serving the specialty market will have their access to market significantly reduced as a result of these measures,” Veldhuis wrote in response to the announcement. “These producers have been working under long-standing marketing permits to serve customers their market choice for farm gate and specialty purchases. Even if they successfully applied for the new program, their exemptions would limit their production to a third of the previously permitted annual production.”

He added that annually awarding market access isn’t a guarantee strong enough to justify new or young farmers making investments or accessing financing.

“While conventional producers can count on their annual production quota and the value that quota has in the marketplace, smaller producers will not have the same stable access to value despite the fees they will pay not the quota system,” Veldhuis said.

Other issues include the lack of approved processing facilities and the reality that the only one currently open in the province is actually threatened by these measures because it makes the future of the current producers it serves uncertain.

Veldhuis said direct marketing any food product takes time to establishing a trusting relationship between farmer and customer, and said implementing changes over such a short time frame would make the incremental growth that small producers excel at impossible.

“However well intentioned, we believe this program will have the opposite effect and will hurt small and specialty chicken producers,” Veldhuis said, calling for a full consultation with affected small-scale producers before changes to the current system are made.

Entering the market

MCP wants to partner up with producers who are not currently involved in traditional chicken production, who may be looking to complement their current farm or are looking for an opportunity to do some direct marketing.

Producers interested in applying cannot be currently registered with MCP, they must have proof of ownership of land and buildings suitable for raising chicken and must also comply with all of the requirements of the national on-farm food safety and animal care programs.

Once registered, producers will be asked to submit a business plan that must outline the proposed specialty market, the name and location of the hatchery supplying the chicks, the name and location of the processing facility, how and where the chickens will be raised and sold.

All chicken raised by a specialty producer must be slaughtered and processed in a federally or provincially inspected facility.

“We will be giving out quota allotments of 10,000 kilograms for the year, so depending on what size of bird you are growing that would give you a range between 2,000 to 5,000 birds, depending on the weight of the bird,” Hiltz said.

All new products produced through this program will also be a part of MCP’s on-farm food safety and animal care program audits.

“Producers should expect the same audits and protocol as those who produce traditional chicken products,” Hiltz said.

Long-term goal

MCP is unsure what to expect in terms of producer interest in specialty products, but the organization says it is committed to taking the time to develop these markets.

“It is definitely a long-term relationship we are looking to establish in order to service these markets locally and if it takes us a few years to get there, we are prepared for that,” Hiltz said.

MCP also expects it to take time for consumers to take note of the new buying opportunities and adjust their purchasing patterns.

“If someone is looking to buy a niche product and had the option to buy it locally, as opposed to frozen from Montreal, it would be an easy choice,” Hiltz said. “But first we have to get it produced, let that person know it is available and where, and all of that takes some time and market development.”

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