Happy 2015 and welcome to the first edition of the year. As I am typing this I am listening in on the latest Alberta Pork Town Hall, specifically Kevin Grier is talking at the moment. Kevin as any of you who were in Banff last week, knows he is an informative and engaging speaker. Kevin just stated, “2014 from a market point was pretty darn good, demand for pork is strong.”
These monthly town halls hosted by Alberta Pork have been well attended and continue to be informative with the latest on PEDv. On today’s call, while I am typing this January 30th, the participants were 51 per cent Alberta Pork producers, seven per cent producers from other Provinces and 42 per cent industry. This demonstrates how important this disease is to all sectors of the hog industry.
Speaking of Banff Brenda, Harry and I were on site last week. Six hundred and sixteen registered meant congestion in the stairways and at break time, plus long line ups for lunch.
The Banff Centre did a great job of hosting, Kudos to the entire Banff Pork Seminar committee it is a great seminar and conference. Check out the pages of this issue for coverage. As anybody who attends Banff Pork Seminar knows the networking component is just as important as some of the sessions. As I heard from a number of people, many of us study at the “Banff University” otherwise known as St James Pub while in attendance. A lot of important discussion happens in this establishment, Frank would be happy to see this tradition continue.
In-between breakouts and plenary sessions many other meetings get squeezed in too, including the board of directors of Alberta Pork Congress. The announcement at the closure of the Boar Bit session is that Banff Pork Seminar is returning to Banff Springs Hotel starting in 2016. That will mark the 45th Banff Pork Seminar, as Bob Kemp chair stated returning to where it all began.
With winter months upon us keeping our biosecurity and sanitation protocols are extremely important. With a few more cases in Manitoba and further east PEDv is a constant threat.
Still listening in on the town hall Egan is now speaking, his comment that Canada is admired at how well it has handled the disease by other countries, even the British Pig Society complemented Canada.
In December I attended and participated in the first Prairie Livestock Expo, formally known as Hog and Poultry Days, and it was a great one-day show. Good job to the organizers for keeping this show going by expanding its focus. Right after this edition is released I will be in Swift Current for Cramer Expo. It is again a great chance to see the producers face to face and see the latest from industry representatives. Prairie Hog Country is proud to participate in the shows and will continue to do so.
2015 will be an interesting year as many are watching to see what prices will do and if we can keep this nasty disease in check. This year is Prairie Hog Country’s’ nineteenth year in publishing I am ecstatic to continue to bring you all the latest hog news and information and so grateful for positive comments from both producers and industry alike.
As always I am only a phone call or email away. Prairie Hog Country, Box 5536, Leduc, Alberta T9E 2A1, 780.986.0962, fax 780.980.9640 or email:
hogcountry@shaw.ca
Talk to you in April.