Submitted by Connie Talbert
Dear Minister Hardeman:
Livestock producers in Renfrew County have asked the Renfrew County National Farmers Union (NFU)
Local 330 Beef Committee to write to you for support to remedy the lack of capacity in Ontario’s meat
processing plants (abattoirs).
The Covid-19 pandemic has temporarily closed several large meat processing plants which depressed
prices paid to farmers at livestock sales barns. At the same time local demand for meat has increased
but here in Renfrew County there are so few abattoirs that farmers will wait up to 5 month to get cattle,
pigs and other livestock slaughtered.
On top of this, extreme heat and minimal rain last June have
nearly doubled the price of hay in Renfrew County. Obviously, farmers are stressed.
Centralized meat processing by large companies has had a direct negative impact on our local meat
processing capacity. Food Secure Canada reported in May 2020 that 95% of all beef processing in
Canada is occurs in just 3 facilities, 2 of which are in Alberta. Many farmers who usually take their
animals to the local sale barn are seeing a dramatic fall in prices, while local demand has increased.
This has put more pressure on our local abattoirs, increasing wait times.
In Ontario, just in the last 21 years, the number of provincially inspected abattoirs fell by 50%, from 229
to 115 facilities (Source: OMAFRA).
In support of our local livestock producers, we outline the following:
• Renfrew County has a large livestock producing industry – 450 beef farmers and a mixed farming
base raising goats, sheep, hogs, chickens, etc. The county’s diverse landscape lends itself to this
mixed farming and local production base.
• As recent as 25 years ago, our livestock producers had access to 12 local abattoirs. Currently, the
county has one full time abattoir and a second abattoir that is processing hogs only. Both
facilities are doing an excellent job, however, they are so backlogged that the wait time for farmers to get their animals to slaughter can be a year or longer.
• During this pandemic, as stated earlier, the processing industry across Ontario, and the country,
witnessed the closure of the larger meat processing facilities. The fall-out from the sudden shutdown
of these facilities caused a 30% drop in the price of livestock at sales barns.
Recently, (February 15) two new Covid outbreaks are being reported at meat plants; one in North York,
Ontario and one in High River, Alberta.
The NFU Renfrew Local 330 Beef Committee strongly suggests that OMAFRA funding be used to assist
with upgrading smaller, safer, slaughter plants in Renfrew County and across the province which would help to ensure local food security and the supply of local food. In fact, this is the same conclusion
reached by the Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation at University of Calgary:
“creating a greater number of smaller-scale facilities scattered across the country would better
insulate the food industry from a future pandemic. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has
provided a case study in the risks associated with modern “megascale” processing facilities”
The NFU Local 330 Renfrew County Beef Committee, seeing the need to rebuild the meat processing
system, sincerely submits the following for your consideration:
• That the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Finance review the information provided
above, and approve additional funds for a second funding allocation to support increased capacity for existing abattoirs
• That the Government of Ontario negotiate with neighbouring provinces to bring about harmonization to improve the freer movement between provinces of animals for slaughter and carcasses for processing.
• In addition, that the Government of Ontario recognize the importance, dedication and value of
abattoir staff and butchers by promoting and supporting training for this under-appreciated
profession.
Finally, now is the time to look at how we can rebuild a local meat processing system which will
resolve these massive problems for livestock producers in Renfrew County, as well as many other
parts of this country.
We are awaiting your reply to this very serious matter that is affecting meat producers.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and, in advance to responding, thank you.
Yours in farming,
Marshall Buchanan
President, Renfrew County National Farmers Union, Local 330
EMAIL: [email protected]
Daniel Stermac-Stein
Renfrew County Beef Committee, Renfrew County NFU, Local 330
EMAIL: [email protected]
