Tariffs should make pork sector take stock

[Oscar]

Tariffs should make pork sector take stock

[ https://www.manitobacooperator.ca/op-ed ... ake-stock/ ]

QUOTE: "Threatened tariffs should spark reflection for Manitoba’s pork sector"

By John Fefchak - February 24, 2025 - Manitoba Co-operator

In response to the article “No time to relax with tariff delay, Canada’s pork sector warns,” published in the Manitoba Co-operator Feb. 13: [ https://www.manitobacooperator.ca/lives ... tor-warns/ ]

EXCERPT: "Apparently, U.S. President Donald Trump has removed the “protection from tariffs” card.

So, what to do next? A good approach would be to take a hard look at what the industry must do to win over not only consumers but rural neighbours and Canadian taxpayers as well.

The sector has had significant financial support from the public sector and advance payments alone over the past three years running have averaged more than $100,000 per producer.

Will the hog industry simply pick up the same deck and just re-deal? If that is their transition action plan, the game must be played a lot differently to succeed. Many more players and much smaller hands would be a start.

There is a good future for hog producers in Manitoba, but changes will be necessary. There must be an attitude change. There must be adherence to environment considerations and a recognition to the realities of economics. There must be an acceptance of responsibility and, most important, changes to the factory style of raising hogs.

Just a reminder: Unless you’re playing poker, bigger is not necessarily better.

One last thing: Manitoba Pork general manager Cam Dahl advertises that the industry supports nearly 23,000 jobs? Along with others, I would like to see the breakdown of those job numbers."

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