Canada Farmers Warn of Legal Action over Hog Barns
CANADA - Farmers in Canada's biggest hog-producing province may go to court if the Manitoba government does not remove its moratorium on expansion of pork production, the farmers said Thursday.The province announced a temporary ban two weeks ago without any warning to the C$1 billion ($877 million) industry, saying the moratorium will last at least a year while an environmental agency reviews new water laws.
Hog farmers and industry representatives said they have not received any reply to several requests to meet with the government about the ban, and said Thursday they believe the ban has more to do with an upcoming election than environmental concerns.
"I guess our industry has thrived very well in the past, and the government feels it's maybe one of their hot potatoes going into the next election that we're expecting in spring," said Karl Kynoch, a farmer and president of the Manitoba Pork Council.
Source: Planet Ark