Karl Kynoch stepped down as chair of Manitoba Pork, as the  Council held annual meeting in Winnipeg on April 15, happy the NDP government in Manitoba and the pork industry could resolve to some extent at least the total ban on pork production in Manitoba.
Kynoch says he’s happy because he and the MPC spent so much time trying to resolve the issue, among many others, before he turned the reins of the organization to someone else.
Many people in the pork industry, especially producers expressed their thanks and gratitude for the hard work and faithful leadership Kynoch provided to the hog industry, not only in Manitoba, but across Canada, and even into the United States during his many hands-across-the-border visits with hog producers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.
“I had the privilege to represent the hog producers for a number of years,” he said. “Not only a privilege, but an honour.”
Kynoch says bringing some resolve to the horrendous legislation the Manitoba government passed initially not based on science at all, but on emotion to help this industry to rebuild.
“We’ve come to an agreement with the government after many meetings to allow the industry to use other forms of technology when building a barn instead of an Anaerobic digester and this type of thing,” he said. “The moratorium is still in place and it always will be. Now east of the Red River, a producer can add on to hog barns and expand production. And west of the Red River, producers can build brand new barns.”
That doesn’t mean carte blanche hog expansion full bore ahead, but follow the new standards developed for phosphorous levels, adequate land base and these types of things. But the big thing is instead of having to use multi-million dollar technologies like Anaerobic digesters and manure separators that really don’t work in this climate.
“We have enough research out there that two-cell lagoons will separate manure as well and the phosphorous,” said Kynoch. “I think the government’s happy achieving the goal of what they want to do and hopefully something the producers can work with.”
During some meetings as late as two weeks ago, several government ministers stated there needs to be a resolve that both government and the hog industry can work and live with.
“I think they are comfortable with the reasons and facts we brought to them, and it looks like the industry can move forward.”
Kynoch says it is unbelievable the change he’s seen to the hog industry in the last 15 years since coming on the MPC board.
“I don’t think it will get any better going forward, the changes will continue,” he says. “The board must be open to adapt to new things, be open-minded, and adapt to new technologies. Although we’ve put out one fire, there will be others.”
The industry faces animal rights issues, environmental issues, financial issues, and many other challenges. The one thing that has always impressed him with this industry, it can usually overcome those challenges, notwithstanding many meetings and time, but at the end of the day, this industry he so ably represented, are leaders when it comes to adapting to change and new challenges.  •
— By Harry Siemens