Rick Bergmann of Steinbach, MB is the chair of the Canadian Pork Council in Saskatoon recently to help the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium celebrate its 40th anniversary.

“It’s great to be here in Saskatchewan, and although it’s an event that’s in Saskatchewan, it’s meaningful for our whole country and pork producers across our country,” said Bergmann. “So the amount of information delivered here which the industry can apply across our country from coast to coast, for the many different farms. So it’s just a joy and honor to be here.”

The pork industry changes almost daily, let alone over the last 40 years.

“There’s been a lot of change over the last ten years never mind the last 40 years for the Symposium being around that long,” he said. “The technology that has entered our industry, the electronics, the genetics, the level of animal care, and on the other side the amount of exports of our production is a testament of all the good work. On farms and also in events like this where researchers and others who present new technologies and help implement them on our farms.”

Bergmann said the Canadian the pork industry is real and a significant economic engine for the country. “Our GDP is 24 billion a year exporting approximately to a hundred different countries representing 70 per cent of what we produce. I could go on and on in regards to the economic benefits here in our country, but the amount of jobs that we create is over 100,000 in our country, there’s indirect and direct benefit for producers but again to society as a whole,” he said. “We spend so much time on providing a safe product, a product recognized not only in our country but around the world as a nutritious form of protein, which is a great testament of our producers and a great benefit for our country to be able to have this right in their backyard.”

What is the outlook for the future of Canadian pork production and what does that mean for Canadians in general?

“The industry is ready for good things with a world population that is ever increasing,” Bergmann said. “We have such a focus on export. Right now there’s a trade mission in China, and discussions within TPP, the NAFTA, and CITA. All these areas of opportunity, we need to get some home runs helping build the momentum here in Canada to bring sustainability, not only for this generation but for the generations of pork producers to come.”awards •

— By Harry Siemens