Posted on 04/14/2009, 7:30 am, by mySteinbach

Manitoba Pork Council is encouraging swine producers to provide their input on a new draft sustainable development strategy.

In an effort to address the impact of outside forces on swine industry development before they become a factor, Manitoba Pork Council has developed a sustainable development strategy.

Pork Council sustainable development programs manager Mike Teillet says the goal is to get ahead of the issues that may impact producers.

It certainly is a very broad strategy.

I believe there’s 11 sections right now.

They cover everything from odor, barn location, water protection, animal welfare, interprovincial and international trade, public awareness and education and a whole number of other areas and each section has a number of policies within it where we try to address some actions.

We looked at strategies from around North American, Europe and other places that other groups have done both agricultural and commodity groups as well as other non-agricultural groups just to try to get a sense of what other people were doing.

What we’re attempting to do is come up with this set of commitments for the industry, not just internal looking that we’re trying to tell ourselves, that’s part of it but also to tell the world that we are indeed changing, that we’re looking forward, that we’re trying to become greener and greener all the time.

The strategy is outlined in a work book format and producers are being asked to provide direct input.

Telliet says once that happens the document will be re-drafted and additional wider consultations will occur.

He hopes to have a final document by mid to late summer.

Source: Farmscape.ca