Farmscape for November 24, 2006  (Episode 2314)

Manitoba Chambers of Commerce has joined the call on the provincial government to reverse a decision to impose a temporary freeze on the expansion of Manitoba's swine industry.

If passed an amendment proposed to the Environment Act will halt further growth of hog operations in Manitoba while the Clean Environment Commission reviews the environmental sustainability of the industry.

Yesterday Manitoba Chambers of Commerce joined Manitoba Pork Council and Keystone Agricultural Producers in calling on the province to not proceed with the moratorium.

Chambers of Commerce President Graham Starmer says even a temporary pause could stall investment and jeopardize economic growth.

Clip-Graham Starmer-Manitoba Chambers of Commerce 

The Chamber of Commerce is very concerned about the sustainability of communities.

The pork business is well over a billion dollars and I think it's close to 13 thousand employees.

We've prorated it over the last couple of years.

There's been in excess of 20 million dollars a year in growth in the business so we anticipate that with any pause there's the potential for lack of investment or the canceling of investment of that type of size.

So we are concerned about the lack of consistency of the government.

They've given us messages frequently identifying their support for the industry and for the progress of sustainability and to suddenly do a U-turn here presents a bad message to investors and future businesses in Manitoba.

Starmer notes producers purchase a lot of products from businesses in rural communities and, while existing operations will continue to do that,  businesses that may have been looking at expanding, due to the industry expansion, may put that on hold.

He adds the move also creates a wave of uncertainty for companies like Olywest which is planning to build a new processing plant in Manitoba and Maple Leaf which is planning to consolidate its operations in Manitoba.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council