ELSTOW, Sask. – A hog barn debate that has caused small divisions in this central Saskatchewan community is not based mainly on the usual complaints of bad smells, water quality fears or neighbor’s falling property values.
The argument here focuses on, for the most part, the politics of large scale, commercial agriculture versus traditional family farms.
Last Wednesday, the sunset’s warm light ushered more than 200 people, mainly taxpayers of the Rural Municipality of Blucher, into the tiny Elstow Agricultural Society Hall.
John Patience of the University of Saskatchewan’s Prairie Swine Centre described his proposed 600 sow research barn and a smaller breeding facility to the assembled crowd. It marked the third time the community has met the research administrator to hear about the research into manure management, feed development and animal handling systems, and the jobs and potential benefits to the RM.
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Ron Schriml, representing a group calling itself Concerned Elstow Area Residents, spoke in opposition to the barns.
The Humboldt, Sask., farmer said his concerns focussed on issues of international food trade, farm sustainability and the “corporatization” of modern agriculture and its relationship to government.
Later, the floor was opened to the crowd, made up mainly of the local residents and taxpayers.
Randy Lawrence, a farmer whose house lies five kilometres from the proposed site, said even though water and gas piping costs will be lowered to his farm should he sign up for those services, he remains opposed to the barns.
“Big farming is bad for our community and the research that is done by PSC only benefits big farms. Even if there is no pollution, this water and gas will be tainted. Tainted by industrial agriculture,” he said.
Blair Cummins challenged the idea that a public meeting in Elstow was the proper forum for a debate on the subject of industrial agriculture.
“Do we want an intensive livestock operation in our community or not? That is the only real question here. I have problems with the worldwide distribution of food and money but I don’t think council needs to fix that problem here tonight,” he said.
Farmer Dave Tokarchuk, who lives north of Elstow, said it is short-sighted not to support the kind of research carried out by the swine centre, which benefits farmers.
Neighbors to the Prairie Swine Centre’s old Saskatoon-area location say that in the 19 years the centre has been on their doorsteps they have had few problems.
When the meeting ended, the cold of the spring night sent people quickly on their way once they stepped out the doors of the hall.
A strong odor greeted them as they left the building – smoke from a field fire.
“Somebody’s burning. This is farm country and you have to expect that sometimes it’s going to smell a bit.
“It’s the nature of the thing. We don’t mind. We can’t change the world,” said one farmer as he and his wife walked from the building.
