Farmscape for June 3, 2011   (Episode 3592)

The president of the Canadian Pork Council says the election of a majority government helps ensure committments made to Canada's pork producers prior to the May 2nd federal election will be honored.

The March 22nd budget, which was defeated triggering a federal election, contained several committments to the Canadian pork industry including 24 million dollars to support the Canadian Swine Health Board.

Canadian Pork Council President Jurgen Preugschas, who met informally with federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz this week during the first Canada-Russia Livestock Forum, is confident the reelection of the government of the day with a majority will ensure those commitments are met.

Clip-Jurgen Preugschas-Canadian Pork Council:
I think we've developed a very strong and positive working relationship with minister Ritz and he has assured me that he's continually committed to the hog industry, to work with us in areas that are required and a majority government certainly makes it easier for them to deliver on the promises that they make so we look forward to working with them.

In terms of the items that were mentioned in the budget, my understanding now of course is that they will be followed through and we'll hear on Monday whether they're still in the budget which all indications are they will be.

Certainly from the Canadian Swine Health Board which was the major item in the budget affecting hog producers, that funding should come through and the programs as we've been developing should be able to be continued.

Preugschas says issues he hopes to discuss when he meets formally with the agriculture minister will include the establishment of a new Growing Forward program, questions surrounding the ability of pork producers to meet the requirements of the stay of payments under the Advance Payments program and issues surrounding the negotiation of international trade agreements.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council