Creation of Pork Promotion and Research Agency Among 2020 Highlights

The General Manager of Sask Pork says the establishment of a Canadian Pork Promotion and Research Agency was among the pork sector’s more important accomplishments during 2020

by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online 

Last month Canada’s Agriculture Minister announced the creation of the Canadian Pork Promotion and Research Agency.

The agency will manage the collection and use of a levy which will help promote the marketing and production of pork, develop new markets for producers and support research activities.

Mark Ferguson, the General Manager of the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, says the Pork Promotion and Research Agency is something the Canadian pork sector has been working toward for a long time and it will help level the playing field with the United States.

“If it is a desire from the Chinese side to have shipments disinfected, then we will find a way to get that done”

“This is an organization that was proclaimed by the federal government and this is a big step forward for it.

“The proposal to create the PRA was established in March in the Canada Gazette Part one.

“This agency is going to be funded through the collection of a levy on imported hogs and pork and this is very similar to the Beef Promotion Research Agency.

“It’s estimated that the import levies will generate somewhere around two million annually in new research funding for the collective benefit of the entire Canadian pork sector.

“The U.S. currently collects a levy on imported pork and hogs and this is just basically us having a reciprocal levy so we can make sure we are doing as much as we can for research, promotion and on farm programs.”

The PRA is expected to be an important vehicle for producers in facilitating increased research and promotion activities.

Farmscape is a presentation of Wonderworks Canada Inc.