The Board of directors of Manitoba Pork hired a new general manager effective on Feb 22, 2021, whose name is Cam Dahl.   
Dahl joined the organization with an extensive background in Canadian agriculture encompassing both crops and livestock, serving as the Chief Strategy Officer for Cereals Canada. He also served as the Manitoba Beef Producers’ general manager, as a commissioner for the Canadian Grain Commission, and as executive director of Grain Growers of Canada. 
Dahl said Rothsay recently increased their farm pickup fee from $15 per visit to $150 per visit in Manitoba and compared with $50 per pickup in provinces like Ontario.  
This concerns producers in Manitoba regarding the fairness and necessity of a tenfold increase. In response to these concerns, Manitoba Pork is taking this complaint directly to the Competition Bureau of Canada. 
A majority of producers in Manitoba rely on Rothsay for deadstock removal. There aren’t alternative companies that will do on-farm pickup, and burial isn’t a viable option. Producers rely on this service.  
Last November producers received notice Rothsay increased the fee for on-farm visits from $15 a visit to $150 a visit. So, a tenfold increase for a service with no option or competition. Further to that, the company operates in Ontario, and the fee increased in Ontario to $50 a farm visit. 
In Manitoba, the hog chat group on WhatsApp said the average-sized hog farm requires an average of one visit per week. Another producer suggested for them about three pickups a month. And a third producer said when asked about how often Rothsay picks up at their barn, “Never have, never will. We compost our deadstock.”  
Under the new fee structure, the costs rise to $7800 a year depending on the operation’s size.   
In Ontario, Dahl said there is competition for deadstock pickup. 
“Where there’s competition, we see a significant difference in the fees, an essential service for producers and the company increases it tenfold.” 
Manitoba Pork saw a significant disparity in Manitoba and Ontario’s fees, where Rothsay has competition in Ontario and none in Manitoba.  
“We feel this is something that the Competition Bureau should look into.” 
As mentioned at the outset, Dahl is one month into his role as Manitoba Pork’s general manager and is starting to get a little bit more comfortable.  
“It’s just over a month, but it’s a good team and a good group of staff knowledgeable, enjoy coming to work, and enjoy working with each other.” 
His first meeting with the Board had no surprises for him, a group of people dedicated to the industry and worked well together. So it’s a good place to be. 
Darling Ingredients offers used cooking oil collection, meat by-product collection and deadstock pickup in the restaurant, supermarket, meat processing and livestock grower industries.  •
— By Harry Siemens