Canadian pig culls and the UK

On Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:08:59 -0000, "Pat Gardiner"
wrote:

Pat's Note: I'm not against humane culls in some circumstances, and I'm not
against exit money to persuade some to leave an overcrowded industry.

I'm especially in favour when the pigs are sick and pose a human health
risk. In fact, I think it very necessary.

But the money should go to the right people. Not to conglomerates, they
should be ordered to close down with no compensation and you have to find a
mechanism to ensure that those accepting taxpayer's money do not use that
money to set up again under another name.

One of the features of the pig industry especially in Britain has been
"funny money", front companies and constant changes of ownership. Too much
money went to the wrong people in the past. The whole fiasco resembles a
Tenerife timeshare

When the news that the British government will not test for MRSA in
Britain's pigs becomes common knowledge especially in the consultant ranks
of the NHS, the government will have to act obviously, and it needs to act
humanely towards the pig keepers as well as the pigs.

It needs integrity. You can't leave the implementation to Britain's corrupt
government vets. All the money will disappear into the pockets of their
mates, usually called stakeholders.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/st...ml#skip300x250

Hog industry expected to jump on new culling cash

Last Updated: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 | 11:35 AM CT

CBC News

Beleaguered hog producers in Manitoba are welcoming an initiative in
Tuesday's federal budget that sets aside $50 million to pay farmers to cull
their sow herds.

The Manitoba Pork Council expects about 10 per cent of producers will take
the federal government up on its offer to reduce the sow population. The
industry has been struggling as the cost of feed soars, while the price
producers are paid for their pork falls.

Council manager Andrew Dickson estimates more than 100 farmers in the
province will cull their herds - collecting more than $200 per head - and
likely get out of the hog business for good.

About 36,000 sows could be slaughtered in Manitoba, but the meat from the
animals, which is suitable for sausages or meat pies, will not make it to
market, Dickson said.

The government does not want to risk raising the ire of the American hog
industry by offering the excess sow meat on the human consumption market, he
said, so the sows have to be either used in pet food or composted.

"We've got to be very careful here," he said. "We don't want a trade
challenge from the United States on things like getting rid of old sows."

But David Northcott, head of the province's largest food bank, disagrees. He
would love to get some of the meat to the 17,000 Manitoba families that use
food banks - and he doesn't believe doing so would violate trade agreements.

"If it we give it to low-income, hungry Canadians, the same way that the
U.S. people give it to hungry Americans, that's not dumping. That's feeding
our citizens," he said.

Some hog producers have already contacted him about donating animals they
can't make any money by selling, he said.