Some farm groups relish elections as a time to force political parties to pay attention to their industry’s needs.
But Manitoba hog farmers are happier just being ignored.
That’s because they have been in the public spotlight for too long already and it isn’t helping them.
“We’ve been in the media so much in the last few months that it’s a relief to have things a little more quiet,” said pork council chair Karl Kynoch.
“I’m hoping the hog industry isn’t an issue in the election.”
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In the past year the hog industry has been one of the hottest issues in Manitoba, with the argument over the proposed OlyWest slaughter plant often making front page news. The debate over the slaughter plant inflated with the long simmering dispute over the industrialization of the hog industry, leading to the provincial government’s surprise announcement of a hog barn development moratorium until after a Clean Environment Commission inquiry.
The hog industry was outraged by the moratorium, which the government called a “pause”, but found no political friends in the legislature. Both the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals supported the moratorium, although the Conservatives quibbled with details about how long it should last.
Many producers felt betrayed by the Conservative position because the party represents all the ridings in southern Manitoba’s “hog alley,” but the commission hearings have appeared to take the issue off the election agenda.
“It’s been hammered around so much before anyway, and there isn’t really anything they can do anyway when it’s tied up in the CEC,” said Kynoch.
So far none of the main parties has made announcements or promises related to the hog industry.
Pig producers have no intention of trying to raise the issue during the election, Kynoch said. But once it is over, the pork council will begin again pressing for a quick end to the moratorium.
The CEC expects to release an interim report by the end of September, and that’s when the council hopes to have the ban lifted.
“Get this election out of the way. Get the interim report done. Get the pause lifted so we can get back to business,” said Kynoch.
If that doesn’t work, the council is hoping for a quick final report by the CEC, which agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk expects by the end of December.
Once the final report is in and assuming it supports the continued growth of the industry, the development shackles should be removed.
“At that point there will be no reason for a pause,” said Kynoch.
