MORDEN, Man. – Mark Milne oversees a network of hog farms and fears the industry could be strangled by too many government rules.
Abe Hoeppner was a small-scale hog producer until four years ago. He blames big business for driving smaller producers out of hog production.
Bill Harrison owns a paint and decorating business in rural Manitoba. He alleges that Manitoba’s expanding hog industry threatens the environment, including the safety of drinking water.
These are the faces of people gripped in a fierce debate about the future of hog production in Manitoba.
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That debate has intensified as the province gears up for further expansion of the industry. Hog production in Manitoba this year is expected to top five million animals.
Milne, president of the K Line Pigs Ltd., sees the expansion as an opportunity to revitalize rural economies and communities. He said it offers farmers a chance to diversify and has given struggling farmers a chance to stay on the land.
“I believe we have a success story, something not talked about in the media.”
He echoes the sentiment of many producers worried that the Manitoba government will impose tighter restrictions on the industry.
Too many rules could force people to exit the industry, he said, especially if the cost to satisfy those rules runs too high.
“Ultimately, there is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”
Milne voiced his fears last week during the first in a series of public meetings staged by the province to gauge people’s thoughts on the expanding livestock industry.
Although the hearings organized through the province’s livestock stewardship initiative are not confined to hog production, it is expected that hogs will dominate the discussions. The province will hold five more public meetings through July. Hog issues dominated last week’s meeting.
Hoeppner farms south of Darlingford, Man., and once ran a small farrow-to-weanling operation. He usually sold his weanlings 50 at a time.
The arrival of larger, more intensive units edged him out of the market, he said.
“I had to shut down because I had no place to sell my weanlings.”
His story reflects another side to the debate.
It revolves around politically charged questions. What are family farms, what are corporate farms and is there a place for both in Manitoba?
Critics of expansion say the stage is set for corporate-controlled hog production in Manitoba.
Advocates argue larger barns are needed to keep Manitoba competitive in the global pork market.
But the most passionate debate centres on the environment. Hog producers at last week’s hearing hammered home the message that they are responsible stewards of the land.
Meanwhile, environmentalists are whipping up concerns that water, air and soil quality are being jeopardized.
Leading the charge is Hog Watch Manitoba, which wants a moratorium on hog industry expansion until public consultations are complete, a report is in the hands of government and further controls are placed on the hog industry.
Harrison supports that position.
“My concern is for clean water,” he said during last week’s public consultations.
“I put people before pigs and profit.”
