Reading Time: 3 minutes The past year hammered the already struggling hog industry — but is there hope on the horizon for 2021? “I don’t want to be doom and gloom, but I have to say no,” said Brent Bushell, general manager of Western Hog Exchange. “In Western Canada, on average, producers haven’t made money since about 2015. Guys […] Read more
Pork producers eye an average year — which would mean more losses
Barns are already being shut down, and this exodus will accelerate, says industry veteran
Pork supply chain not experiencing disruptions, says hog marketing agency
Entire sector has strong biosecurity protocols, says general manager of the Western Hog Exchange
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prices are soft but the hog supply chain is working well, says the general manager of the Western Hog Exchange. The typical mid-March price rally hasn’t occurred but COVID-19 has roiled all markets, said Brent Bushell. “It’s no different than the stock markets, and everything else. It’s the uncertainty,” said Bushell. “I think people are […] Read more
Decimation of China’s hog herd has a silver lining for Canada
African swine fever outbreak fuelling price surge but if the disease comes here, it would be a nightmare
African swine fever outbreak fuelling price surge but if the disease comes here, it would be a nightmare
Reading Time: 5 minutes African swine fever could be a boon for the pork sector — if North American producers can keep the devastating disease at bay. “You always hate to make money at the expense of disease in other countries, but nonetheless, the opportunity is there,” said Brent Bushell, general manager of the Western Hog Exchange. The virulent […] Read more
Fewer downers being shipped, says hog exchange
An undercover video showing abuse has prompted widespread changes at the hog assembly yard
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Red Deer hog assembly yard at the heart of animal abuse allegations almost two years ago has seen industry-wide improvements in animal handling. “Since the Mercy for Animals incident, we have made significant strides in improving our level of animal care and husbandry,” said Brent Moen, chair of the Western Hog Exchange. “And I […] Read more
Crackdown on shipping unfit animals working
The Western Hog Exchange now seeing far less downers, but officials say even a few are too many
Reading Time: 3 minutes A crackdown on shipping unfit animals is paying off, says the chairman of the Western Hog Exchange. “I don’t have the statistics to back it up, but the general consensus is that we have seen a significant improvement in the animals coming to the plants,” Brent Moen said in an interview. The Red Deer hog […] Read more
Western Hog Exchange to producers: Stop shipping injured animals
Chair Brent Moen says facility will now ‘walk the walk’ on animal care, and that includes cracking down on shipments of sick or injured animals
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s no doubt in Brent Moen’s mind that Western Hog Exchange staff accused of animal welfare violations behaved inappropriately. “We were talking the talk, but not walking the walk,” said the chairman of the farmer-owned hog facility in Red Deer. “We had a significant disconnect between our procedure manual and actual implementation. We broke six […] Read more
Officials at Red Deer hog facility vow animal abuse won’t happen again
Western Hog Exchange chair says he doesn’t like animal rights group’s tactics but says its undercover video will result in ‘very positive changes’
Reading Time: 4 minutes The Western Hog Exchange has one message for the pork industry in the wake of animal abuse allegations at its Red Deer facility. “What we saw is not acceptable,” said Brent Moen, chairman of the farmer-owned exchange. “We’re introducing changes, and we’re taking responsibility for this. And we will make improvements to our process.” An […] Read more
Finally some good news for bruised and battered pork producers
PEDv has pushed down hog supply and sent prices soaring
Reading Time: 3 minutes Murray Markert sums up the mood of Alberta pork producers these days in a single word. “Relief,” said the Vulcan farmer when asked about recent record-high pork prices. “The money we’re getting right now will help fill in the hole that most of us dug to stay in the game.” For most, that likely means […] Read more
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