Open pork marketing on hold for now

Sunday, March 15, 2009

© AgMedia Inc.

by BETTER FARMING STAFF 

It’s full speed ahead at the Hog Industry Advisory Council, planning for a deregulated Ontario hog market. It’s full stop as far as an earlier order canceling single desk selling of pigs is concerned. Farm Products Marketing Commission chair Geri Kamenz says that’s where an appeal tribunal ruling issued late Friday has left the pork industry. 

A ruling, rendered by Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal vice-chair Marthanne Robson late Friday, maintains a full judicial stay on the Farm Products Marketing Commission’s plans to end Ontario Pork’s single desk selling powers, April 1. The terms of the stay will be considered at a continuance of a pre-hearing conference scheduled for April 17.

Meanwhile, the Hog Industry Advisory Council will continue to meet and plan for a de-regulated hog marketing system in Ontario, says Kamenz. "At some point in the future we look to have the aggrieved individuals’ concerns met and the Commission, and Ontario Pork, will be in the position to implement the commission's decisions,” Kamenz says.

A Commission ruling issued Oct. 6, called for the marketing board, among other things, to quit scrutinizing contracts between producers and processors and no longer be involved in settling sales.

A number of individuals and regional producer organizations appealed the Commission’s ruling to the Appeal Tribunal. Robson heard arguments for and against the appeals in Guelph a week ago, before ruling that the appellants had the right to be heard.

"The Tribunal feels the issues raised by appellants are significant enough to continue forward," with the appeal says Curtiss Littlejohn, chair of Ontario Pork. Ontario Pork will nevertheless take part in the advisory council meetings. 

”I’m quite happy” with Friday’s ruling, says Elbert van Donkersgoed, agent for appellant Rein Minnema of Glencoe. Minnema wants a stay “to be permanent” and for the tribunal to set aside the Commission’s October ruling “so that Ontario Pork can go back to the process of change” on a timetable it presented to producers last June. BF