Sask Pork Calls on Government to Provide Feed Drought Assistance for Hog Producers

The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board is calling on the province to provide support to hog producers facing soaring feed costs similar to that being offered to other livestock producers

Last week the Government of Saskatchewan announced the province is making up to 70 million dollars available to beef cattle, bison, horse, elk, deer, sheep and goat producers to help offset extraordinary feed costs.

Toby Tschetter, the chair of the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, estimates feed costs have increased by 40 percent over the past three years for all livestock producers and pork producers are disappointed that the program does not include the swine sector.

 

 

 “The hog industry is heading into a tough fall and winter unless something changes, so the sooner support programs can be announced, it will impact the support will have in maintaining Saskatchewan’s sow herd”

 

“There are a lot of factors that have increased costs which include drought conditions, the labor market, freight and transportation to bring in alternate feed products and even there’s world events beyond our control. They all contribute to the increased costs.

“All of our farms are facing the highest feed costs in the history of Saskatchewan hog production for the third year in a row and projections are for negative margins through the winter as hog prices go through the seasonal lows.

“We do recognize that there is a need to support cattle producers but the issues and decisions being made today in the hog industry around the future of our breeding herds, they are exactly the same for all livestock producers including hogs.

“The fact that a separate program even needs to be developed and announced for cattle just highlights how ineffective AgriStability is in a whole farm support program in helping these types of situations for any commodity, especially in mixed grain and livestock operations.

“A lot of producers are making decisions today about the future of their herds.

“The hog industry is heading into a tough fall and winter unless something changes, so the sooner support programs can be announced, it will impact the support will have in maintaining Saskatchewan’s sow herd.“

Tschetter says all livestock producers in the province are facing the same economic challenges when it comes to high feed prices and low availability so any kind of assistance is essential in ensuring that we have a sustainable livestock industry in Saskatchewan.