2007 Annual Report - Manitoba Pork Council

manitoba initiativesHuman Resources & TrainingTrade advocacy is anongoing effort. In June,Council attended the WorldPork Expo in Des Moines,Iowa to talk with producersand industry officials aboutthe possible impacts of COOL– Country of Origin Labeling.Manitoba Pork Council 2007 Annual Report10Manitoba delegation met one-on-onewith the Iowa and Minnesota FarmBureaus, Minnesota’s Commissionerof Agriculture, Iowa’s Secretary ofAgriculture and the boards of theIowa and Minnesota Pork ProducersAssociations. Council did a number ofinterviews with key media in the U.S.Council’s trade advocacy effortswere very well received. In April,representatives from the Iowa andMinnesota Pork Producers Associationsdrove up to Manitoba to attend Council’sannual general meeting. Following themeeting, they took part in a one-daytour of the hog industry in southeasternManitoba, driving through “hog alley”,touring barns at Starlite Colony andvisiting Puratone’s offices.Trade advocacy is an ongoing effort. InJune, Council attended the World PorkExpo in Des Moines, Iowa to talk withproducers and industry officials aboutthe possible impacts of COOL – Countryof Origin Labeling. In 2008, Councilplans to participate in both of thePork Congresses in Iowa and Minnesotaonce again.HUMAN RESOURCES& TRAININGIn 2007, Manitoba Pork Council workedextensively to develop employmentstandards recommendations for the hogindustry. Council also worked closely withHuman Resources and Skills DevelopmentCanada (HRDC) to reduce immigrationprocess times. HRDC and Labour andImmigration were also briefed on currentindustry status and are cognizant ofindustry needs.