CFFO pork committee chair in; Ontario Pork out

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

© AgMedia Inc.

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

The head of Ontario Pork is questioning the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission decision to appoint a Brant County hog producer to the committee that’s overseeing the restructuring of the province’s hog industry.

Curtiss Littlejohn, chair of Ontario Pork, calls recently appointed Paul Bootsma a “solid producer,” but says he’s “somewhat surprised” that the Commission is adding members to the committee at such a late stage and with a stay resulting from appeals to the province’s Farm Products Appeal Tribunal in place. 

Geri Kamenz, the Commission’s chair, says with Ontario Pork “walking away from the process, we looked at making sure that the process had integrity moving forward.”

Ontario Pork withdrew from Hog Industry Advisory Committee meetings last week, explaining that continued participation would be “in contempt” of Farm Products Appeal Tribunal regulations, due to the stay. Two farmers, as well as the Huron Pork Producers Association have appealed the Commission’s October decision to strip Ontario Pork of its agency powers. Ontario Pork wants the stay’s terms clarified before participating further.

The Commission maintains the Tribunal’s stay doesn’t prevent planning activity. Kamenz says the withdrawal of Ontario Pork meant representation of small- to mid-size producers on the committee needed a boost.

To that end, it appointed Bootsma. 

Based in Brant County, Bootsma has a 200-sow farrow to finish operation and chairs the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario’s pork advisory committee. CFFO supports dual marketing.

Bootsma, who attended his first committee yesterday, says he was one of the Commission’s first picks when appointing members in the fall but since he couldn’t attend the first two meetings, became an alternate member instead. 

Greg Haskett, recently elected as Oxford County’s Ontario Pork board director, says he’s surprised by the appointment but the decision to add representation from small- to mid-size producers “makes sense.”

Haskett, who says he’s “100 per cent behind” the Commission’s ruling, calls Ontario Pork’s decision to withdraw from the committee “irresponsible,” even though he understands the decision was made on legal advice. 

Perth County producer and former Ontario Pork chair Larry Skinner is also troubled that the commodity organization has withdrawn from committee talks. “Principally or morally speaking, it’s not right for them not to be there,” he says wondering how planning can continue. “The majority of the concerns being dealt with by the HIAC committee have direct implication on how Ontario Pork will function in the future.”

Skinner says Bootsma might bring a solid perspective to the table, but isn’t a fair substitute for the commodity organization.

He says he’s concerned with the approach the Commission has taken to the industry restructuring. No legal lines have been crossed but the Commission is “pushing against the edges of what it morally or appropriately should do on behalf of producers,” he says. “There needs to be a democratic engagement of producers to effect the kind of significant changes … that the Commission is proposing here.”

Skinner predicts a backlash will take place from producers concerned about how the changes are being introduced. He points out that the industry was already prepared to take some more steps towards open marketing before the Commission stepped in.

Skinner notes that the Commission’s could apply the same approach to other commodities that might encounter similar challenges in the future. 

Kamenz says that Ontario Pork can still return to the table. Whether Bootsma would continue to sit on the committee after the organization’s return would be determined at that point, he says. 

Kamenz says he hopes producers will see past the Commission’s handling of the issue, and “look at the bigger picture here.” 

He notes 85 per cent of the province’s hogs are sold under direct contract and Ontario Pork “acts as the clearing house for the money more or less. And so what we’re really talking about is making it easier for those hogs to move” and ensuring the availability of marketing and universal services for all producers.

The Commission wants Ontario Pork’s final plan for the transition to dual marketing by April 1. BF