Ontario Pork Producers' Marketing Board

Ontario Pork Producers’ Marketing Board (OPPMB or Ontario Pork), is the marketing board which represents the about 3100 producers who market hogs in the province of Ontario.^[1][2] The office has been located in Guelph, Ontario since moving there from Etobicoke in 2001.

Purpose

Ontario Pork represents pork producers in many areas, including hog marketing, consumer education, research, government representation, environmental issues, animal care and food quality assurance. The organization is also responsible for arranging for payment of hogs and, working cooperatively with the processors, arranging the trucking. Ontario Pork acts as the official spokes-group for the industry and is a source of information about the industry.^[3]

Under Ontario's Farm Products Marketing Act and Regulation 419-1990, Ontario Pork has the legal right to control the marketing and transportation of market hogs produced in Ontario. All market hogs must be purchased through the board and producers are charged a service fee for every market hog sold. There are no quotas in hog production and producers are free to ship as many hogs as they wish. The regulations do not cover breeding stock or feeder pigs.^[4][5][6][7]

Recently there has been increased lobbying from producers for a more open marketing system, who speculate that they could increase individual returns. In 2006, Ontario Pork announced that it will provide consultation on the issue to get input from producers and other industry stakeholders.^[8]

History

The Ontario Pork Producers’ Marketing Board was formed in 1946 after a vote of hog producers in 1945 showed an overwhelming majority of producers in Ontario favoured a producer-controlled organization. The provincial government enacted the Ontario Hog Marketing Scheme - 1946 under the Farm Products Control Act, now called the Farm Products Marketing Act.^[3]

Activities

A two-year, $3-million advertising campaign undertaken between 2002 and 2004 was credited with improving public opinion of hog farmers in Ontario. The approval rating of pork producers was at an all-time low of 46% at the start of 2002, prior to the campaign and increased to 59% by mid-March, 2004, according to the polling firm, Ipsos-Reid.^[9]

Ontario Pork funded a University of Guelph research project to genetically alter pigs to better metabolize phytate, which will reduce the amount of phosphorus in their feces and thereby reduce pollution that makes its way into rivers, lakes, and streams.^[10]

References

1. ^ "Ontario Pork Industry Profile: Facts & Figures". Ontario Pork Producers' Marketing Board (Ontario Pork). Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20071103134736/http://www.ontariopork.on.ca/who/industryprofile.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
2. ^ Kirsch, Vik (2007-11-28). "Ontario Pork forced to downsize". Guelph Mercury. http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/265929. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Ontario Pork Background Information". Ontario Pork Producers’ Marketing Board. Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20071103134715/http://www.ontariopork.on.ca/who/backgrou.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
4. ^ "Legislation". Ontario Pork Producers’ Marketing Board. Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20071103134741/http://www.ontariopork.on.ca/who/legislat.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
5. ^ "Farm Products Marketing Act". Revised Statutes of Ontario. Government of Ontario. http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90f09_e.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
6. ^ "Regulation 419: Hogs — Marketing". Revised Regulations of Ontario. Government of Ontario. http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900419_e.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
7. ^ Stoneman, Don (August 2006). "Enforcing the law on illicit producers who sell around the marketing boards". Better Farming. http://www.betterfarming.com/2006/bf-oct06/cover.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
8. ^ "Industry Developments: Ontario Pork Board To Study Open Marketing System" (pdf). Canada Livestock and Products Annual 2006. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. 2006-09-06. pp. 12–13. http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200609/146218886.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
9. ^ Vansickle, Joe (2004-07-15). "Ad Campaign Boosts Image". National Hog Farmer. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-119320160.html. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
10. ^ Philipkoski, Kristen (2001-05-01). "Toxic Manure: Endangered Feces?". Wired. http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2001/05/43447. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 

Further reading

• Perkin, G. F. (November 1951). "The Ontario Marketing Boards". Journal of Farm Economics 33 (4): 968–979. doi:10.2307/1233467. JSTOR 1233467. 
• John C. McMurchy (2000-06-01). "A History of Agricultural Marketing Legislation in Ontario". Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/farmproducts/factsheets/history.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 
• Bishop, Wilfred L. (1977). Men and Pork Chops: A History of the Ontario Pork Producers Marketing Board. London: Phelps Publishing Company. ISBN 0920298001. 

External links

• Ontario Pork homepage