Just when a federally inspected beef slaughter plant was weeks from construction, the federal Conservatives slammed the door on Manitoba beef producers: $10 million that was promised under the Tories’ action plan in 2009 was withdrawn and given to Hylife Corp. to upgrade a hog slaughter plant.
Federal ag minister Gerry Ritz blamed the beef plant’s business plan, even though a major bank thought a business model based on niche products and toll processing was good enough to commit over $18 million.
One begins to wonder if the broken promise to beef producers has more to do with politics than business sense. The proposed plant was the direct result of a pool of capital collected and invested by the Manitoba Cattle Enhancement Council. The provincial NDP established the council in 2006 and matched producer check-off dollars to fund enhanced slaughter capacity in Manitoba. It could have been a huge success, but the federal Tories didn’t want the plant to be built and succeed.
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At the same time as they were laying plans to dismantle the producer-owned Canadian Wheat Board, the Tories were already planning to take away market opportunities from Manitoba cattlemen. It appears that the Conservatives are all about lining the pockets of corporations at the expense of farmers and ranchers.
Peter Gulak,
Gilbert Plains, Man.
