Ontario Pork welcomes the opportunity to participate in the Ontario Government’s 2021 budget consultation. We would like to thank the government for its continued commitment to keeping Ontarians safe and assisting sectors in need of financial support during these difficult COVID-19 circumstances.

COVID-19 continues to create significant challenges for pork producers, pushing prices generally lower as restaurant demand has disappeared, and creating hog backlogs due to processing plants closures. The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt across the pork sector with Ontario pork producers forecasted to lose more than $200 million in 2020.

Some farms have already been forced to sell or downsize. A Canadian Pork Council survey of producers found that, “More than 40% said COVID-19 has forced them to consider leaving the industry earlier than planned.” Ontario Pork and the Ontario Pork Industry Council have held resiliency training for industry, and we have also provided mental health resources to pork producers, to assist with any mental health issues they are experiencing.

Our asks for the government’s spring 2021 budget are straightforward:

• Continue to pursue AgriStability enhancements,

• Maintain the Ontario Risk Management program funding,

• Work with the livestock industry to increase processing capacity in Ontario, and

• Commit to continued resources to ensure that foreign animal diseases (FAD) do not enter Canada.

Read more by downloading Ontario Pork’s budget consultation submission, found below.

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Last updated February 11, 2021