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Alberta pork industry sees market price drop amid COVID-19
https://globalnews.ca/news/6844798/alberta-pork-industry-price-drop-covid-19/
No matter the industry, COVID-19 is having an impact, but when it comes to not only your livelihood but animal welfare, the urgency is even greater.
Hog producers are desperate for help dealing with a volatile market and uncertain times.
“If we were to lose a [pork packing] plant in Canada, it would be devastating,” said Arnold Beusekom, a southern Alberta pork producer.
“Within a week, it would be absolutely devastating what would happen to the industry.”
He’s been in the industry for 30 years and said the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening this sector like nothing he’s witnessed before.
Pig operations typically see the animal stay in one facility from birth to slaughter — unlike other industries such as cattle, where feedlots are used.
“We produce hogs every week,” said Beusekom. “Every week we have births, they grow and go through all the stages, and every week we ship finished hogs out the door.”
He said there are approximately 200 producers in Alberta, producing approximately three million finished hogs per year. His concern is with that many producers in just one province, if a slaughter plant closes, there will be a major backlog of hogs.
https://globalnews.ca/news/6844798/alberta-pork-industry-price-drop-covid-19/
No matter the industry, COVID-19 is having an impact, but when it comes to not only your livelihood but animal welfare, the urgency is even greater.
Hog producers are desperate for help dealing with a volatile market and uncertain times.
“If we were to lose a [pork packing] plant in Canada, it would be devastating,” said Arnold Beusekom, a southern Alberta pork producer.
“Within a week, it would be absolutely devastating what would happen to the industry.”
He’s been in the industry for 30 years and said the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening this sector like nothing he’s witnessed before.
Pig operations typically see the animal stay in one facility from birth to slaughter — unlike other industries such as cattle, where feedlots are used.
“We produce hogs every week,” said Beusekom. “Every week we have births, they grow and go through all the stages, and every week we ship finished hogs out the door.”
He said there are approximately 200 producers in Alberta, producing approximately three million finished hogs per year. His concern is with that many producers in just one province, if a slaughter plant closes, there will be a major backlog of hogs.
