Mb Govt/Mb Pork Council Form Pork Trade Task Team
CANADA - The trade challenge recently launched by the U.S. against Canada’s hog industry has led to the creation of a government and industry trade task team with the Manitoba Pork Council, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) Minister Rosann Wowchuk said today.
3 November 2004
3 minute read
"We agree with the pork industry that we need to take a unified stand on our position, and developing this team approach is the first step," said the minister. "Our goal is sustaining and advancing Manitoba's hog and pork industries and, by working together in a proactive way, we can better counter the pork dumping charges."
The U.S. Department of Commerce first announced its hog investigation in March of this year and on Oct. 15 imposed anti-dumping duties on live swine exports from Canada. The duty of 14.06 per cent will now be applied to most live swine exports to the U.S.
"If the U.S. industry’s petition is successful, it could mean the potential loss of significant markets for Manitoba’s weanlings and slaughter pigs and could have a negative effect on pork prices for our producers," said Karl Kynoch, chair, Manitoba Pork Council. "By working with the government, we will have a stronger voice to counter this action."
Manitoba’s pork industry includes about 1,400 producers and adds approximately $2 billion to the province’s economy. Statistics Canada estimates 2003 farm gate cash receipts for pigs and pork at $777 million of which $257 million is from exports to other countries including the U.S.
The task team’s report will contain a four-part strategy including:
an analysis of the potential impact of anti-dumping duties on Manitoba’s hog and pork industries;
information to augment and support Canadian trade defence actions to encourage U.S. government agencies and key political leadership to institute actions that reflect positively on Canadian swine trade interests and Canadian agricultural interests in general;
a trade advocacy strategy to enhance and strengthen relationships with U.S. agricultural trading partners and state and country organizations to encourage unencumbered free trade between U.S. and Canadian interests; and
ways of adding value to Manitoba’s pork industry by seeking methods to augment Manitoba’s feeder pig industry and expanding Manitoba’s pork processing capacity.
The task team will include three representatives each from the Manitoba Pork Council and MAFRI. It will provide a report based on industry information for the respective organizations. The final action plan will be prepared jointly.
Source: Manitoba Government - 29th October 2004
