LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Alberta Pork and the Western Hog Exchange want to be separate entities by Jan.1.
However, divorcing the marketing arm from the promotions arm of the Alberta Pork Producers Development Corporation may take longer.
The government oversees the corporation’s activities through the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council.
“Council’s perspective is this is a large issue. It will take as long as it takes to get it right. We’re not going to rush into anything,” said council spokesperson Christine Anderson.
Until all issues about the split have been resolved, the marketing council continues to watch the organization and will hold back its approval until it is satisfied the division is properly handled.
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The most recent proposal to split remains with lawyers and may be examined in the new year.
One unsettled issue is transfer of assets to the marketing arm. The corporation owns hog assembly yards, buildings and land at five different points around the province.
Some producers said the exchange should not automatically receive these assets from the corporation without paying for them. The corporation paid for these assets with producer money. A $1 checkoff is collected on every hog sold in the province to support the corporation’s activities.
Most producers approve of the split believing it will strengthen the Alberta hog sector.
“If we were big enough perhaps we can make alliances. The only way we can survive is with a producer organization,” said Murray Markert of Vulcan, Alta., at a meeting of pork producers.
No big deal
For some producers the split is a moot point.
When Alberta switched to an open marketing system, more producers opted to sell their hogs privately out of province to better-paying customers in the United States and Manitoba.
At one time the Western Hog Exchange sold almost exclusively to Fletcher’s Fine Foods in Red Deer, but this year it offered hogs to Maple Leaf and two American packers.
No exact prices are known because the money is pooled, said Markert.
The Western Hog Exchange has seven board members who are active hog producers. There is one vacancy on the board because of a resignation earlier this fall.
The Alberta Pork Producers Development Corporation operates research and promotions under Alberta Pork and an open marketing service under the Western Hog Exchange.
The exchange buys hogs from producers and offers daily hog sales, contracts, forward pricing and other sales services.
