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The following are highlights from the June 22-23, 2009 Ontario Pork board meeting.
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SAFETY NET COMMITTEE |
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Ontario Pork Safety Net Committee Chair, Steve Illick presented an overview of the June 3rd committee meeting which focused on reviewing the meeting with Minister Dombrowsky held on May 26 and a subsequent phone call with Ontario Pork’s Chair.
Wilma reported that while another teleconference is anticipated with the Minister, the industry innovation component needs first to be further developed. Efforts are on-going to secure some degree of processor support/engagement for this component. Steve reported that a large part of the June 3rd committee meeting was spent emphasizing the political reality of the Minister’s issue with the Beginning Farmers group. Their demand for segmented funds is not consistent with the direction and ask of the Canadian Pork Council and Ontario Pork.
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| CANADIAN PORK COUNCIL REPORT |
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Ontario Pork’s representatives to the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), Beth Clark and Curtiss Littlejohn reported on recent activities.
It was reported that the CPC meeting was very challenging with a focus on developing agreeable support options for consideration by the federal government. There is agreement at the national level that the industry needs to shrink. Contraction needs to be managed so that it is not so traumatic or dramatic.
The CPC Board meeting also covered the Industry Provincial Offsets Group (IPOG), animal care, trade issues and advocacy. Research was also discussed as there are growing concerns about the amount of dollars that may be required to leverage funds in the new research cluster environment.
The CPC National Summit Forum will be held at the Ottawa Sheraton on October 6th and 7th.
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| FINANCIAL PROTECTION PLAN |
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Charlie Lalonde (EBiz) and Jean Howden, Research Coordinator joined the meeting. Charlie’s presentation “Market Hog Financial Protection Program Actuarial Study Overview and Implications” covered the background, the model, scenarios, benchmarks, premiums and level of ruin, and overall conclusions and next steps.
The plan calls for OMAFRA to administer the fund, and for any processor that buys hogs in Ontario to be licensed (including small abattoirs, US and Quebec plants, etc.). While this study is specific to market hogs, the instructions to OMAFRA would be to draft regulations for all swine as this would allow for the program to be expanded over time. The Board discussed how to best emphasize the need for the government to provide the seed money, and how monitoring and enforcement would be managed with out-of-province licensed buyers.
Next steps were reviewed and considered in light of the recent Tribunal Order. It was noted that OMAFRA will need approximately 6 months to create the required regulations.
A two-page letter to introduce the industry to the Financial Protection Plan initiative has been written for distribution at Pork Congress.
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| NATIONAL FARM PRODUCTS MARKETING ACT – FEES |
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Ken Ovington, Director of Strategic Management reported that refunds have been issued to any producer who was “over-charged” the additional $0.80 collected to fund the trade action. The Senate Standing Committee considers these producers to have been over-charged because the fee increase was not properly approved by federal authorities. Ken confirmed that a letter of explanation is accompanying the refunds.
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| PORK CONGRESS – MESSAGING |
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Keith Robbins, Director of Communications and Consumer Marketing circulated a newsletter to be distributed at Pork Congress outlining Ontario Pork’s recent government relations activities. Keith confirmed that MP contact information will be included in the resource binder at Congress.
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| ONTARIO AGRI-BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEETING |
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Mary-Ann Hendrikx reported on the June 18th industry meeting hosted by the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA) to discuss the industry crisis and support for the federal lobby effort.
Ontario Pork representatives were pleased with the commitment demonstrated by suppliers to lobby MPs and carry their own messages of economic hurt. Ontario Pork committed to copying industry partners on all lobby support materials.
Representatives from the Ontario Pork Industry Council (OPIC) were also in attendance but do not have as extensive a distribution network, so Ontario Pork needs to also forward materials to OABA and the swine practitioners.
Keith Robbins, Director Communications and Consumer Marketing answered questions about various lobbying tactics considering form letters, letters to the editor, correspondence to MPs, and general do’s and do not’s.
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| RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE |
Beth Clark, Resolutions Committee Chair presented the minutes of the June 9th, 2009 Resolutions Committee meeting.
The process for late resolutions was discussed. The Board reviewed the resolutions assigned to them for the Resolutions Response Document.
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| ONTARIO ANIMAL HEALTH ACT |
Teresa Van Raay reported on the 30-day comment period for the pending Ontario Animal Health Act. Ontario Pork’s Food Safety & Traceability Committee to address.
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| CONESTOGA REQUEST |
Ken Ovington, Director of Strategic Management provided background on an exemption granted to Conestoga that was specific, time-limited and unique to a producer-owned co-operative.
A motion was passed to grant an exemption from logistics and settlement to 3P/Conestoga on a pilot project basis for a 6-month period with a Board review at 3-months. The request for a fee reduction is denied at this time and will be considered as the current Tribunal process is made clear.
The Board considered the responsibilities of both Ontario Pork and the Conestoga Board to Conestoga members in the absence of a Financial Protection Plan. Staff confirmed that a requirement of the pilot is that data continue to be submitted to
Ontario Pork.
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