Ontario Pork gets marketing powers back

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

In October, 2008, the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission took away the powers of Ontario Pork. Yesterday the Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal gave them back.

The Tribunal’s 29-page ruling, released late yesterday, re-instates Regulation 419, which required producers to sell hogs through the marketing board and for the board to review all buy and sell contracts between producers and processors. The Commission revoked this regulation in 2008.

“In our view the Commission decision does not respect the legislative principles of the FPMA (Farm Products Marketing Act); it effectively negates the legislation by placing the control of marketing outside of the local board, without establishing an alternative plan or having any entity responsible for the control and regulation of hog marketing,” the Tribunal ruling says.

The Tribunal ordered Ontario Pork to continue with its strategic planning process from June 2008 and set a deadline in 18 months for the marketing board to submit recommendations for new regulations to the Farm Products Marketing Commission.  The Tribunal also ordered that changes to marketing be put to producers in a plebiscite before implementation.

This story will be updated throughout the day. BF