Quebec Pork Farmers Facing Economic Crisis Amid ‘Perfect Storm’
Over the last two years, François Nadeau has chosen to do something rare among his fellow Quebec pork farmers: invest in the future. Despite economic conditions that industry leaders have called a crisis, Mr. Nadeau and his wife and co-owner of their business, Julie Bogemans, went ahead with a new building to house some of their 1,200 sows. It features high-tech feeding and cooling systems and bigger, open pens to replace many of the crates and cages that used to keep the animals confined.
In an interview at his farm in St-Sebastien, a rural community about 50 kilometres southeast of Montreal, Mr. Nadeau explained that the changes were made in part to ensure the farm complies with new federal animal welfare rules that come into force in 2029. “Despite everything that’s happening, we’re among those who still believe in (pig farming), despite the difficulties,” he said.
Recently, more than 20 percent of producers in the province applied for a program to compensate farmers who severely reduce their herds or quit. “It worries us enormously,” said Louis-Philippe Roy, president of a group representing pork producers in Quebec, who account for about 31 percent of Canadian production.
Ken McEwan, a retired University of Guelph professor and agricultural economist, says Canada’s pork industry has always been sensitive to price fluctuations. “While Canadian producers are known for their high-quality product, he said in a recent interview, “it’s not just about what’s going on in Quebec or Eastern Canada. It’s about global factors.”
Sebastien Page, who owns a maternity farm east of Montreal that produces 125,000 to 130,000 piglets per year, says the low price of pork is forcing producers to dip into a stabilization program funded by both farmers and the government. “In terms of projects we wanted to do, everything is on ice right now,” he said. “And it’s like that for all of us: either it’s on ice or producers want to reduce.”
Paul Beauchamp, a vice president at Olymel, says Quebec was hit hard and early during the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of temporary closures, absenteeism and distancing rules meant the packing plants could no longer keep up with volume. He says that Olymel, like everyone else in the industry, is trying to emerge from the crisis.
Mr. Nadeau, Mr. Page and Mr. Roy all hope the industry is close to turning a corner. But they say the near future, at least, will involve producing fewer animals more efficiently and with high standards, which will require the remaining producers to invest like Mr. Nadeau has.
