Rick Préjet a hog producer from Notre Dame de Lourdes, MB is the new chair of the Manitoba Pork Council. He worked as a delegate for quite a few years and always felt it was necessary for producer involvement on the MPC. It’s essential to get out there, know what’s going on, and give one’s views on what’s best for the industry going forward. 
In 1994 a group of producers from Notre Dame invested in the current farm with 5000 sows marketing about 110-120 thousand hogs to HyLife Foods at Neepawa, MB. Préjet had about 150 to 200 sows at the time.   
In addition to the sows, the farm includes the nurseries, finishing barns, the feed mill and their truck wash with at least 40 employees to help with the work. Some locals, the Philippines, Latino workers with a good mix who stay year-round working full-time. Most, if not all live in town owning housing and contributing to the local economy.  
The hog business consists of two companies, Porcherie Lac du Onze (PLDO) is the original company that owns the sow barns and nursery barns. Porcherie Notre Dame (PND) was formed later and owns the finisher barns and truck wash.  
“In ‘94, some local people who wanted to create jobs and help the economy invested in this hog farm operation. For a smaller community like Notre Dame de Lourdes, it is significant.” 
When Johnny, Rick’s son took over the management several years ago, it created more time to attend council business. As one of the longest-standing members on the council and George Matheson was stepping down it became his turn. 

“If I’m ever going to do this, now’s the time, I’m semi-retired and I should take this on.” 
While focusing on the standard fare like disease, biosecurity, and foreign animal diseases there is more Préjet wants to accomplish, especially for independent producers and local communities. “I’ve told a lot of people, maybe it’s just pie in the sky, but is there a way of sparking interest in agriculture in Manitoba and have more independent producers. Maybe we can add this to part of our farm and make something else more viable and do what happened here, a viable farm unit, create some jobs, add to the economy and community.”  
There’s a great marriage between hog production, manure and grain farming. Can that happen? He’s not knocking the big processors’ Maple Leaf and HyLife because they play a massive role in Manitoba and the hog industry. But, is there a way for independents to start playing a more prominent role once again, is the 64-dollar question.  
“My goal is to see some success stories in both Manitoba and different communities where people create something that works.” 
For that to happen the business needs profitability and that’s a bit of a challenge. So many things keep scaring people away from many things that drove people out of the hog industry. The lack of profits and return on investment for hog producers plus some negative things about the hog industry fighting and name-calling amongst neighbours and the community and at council meetings turned some people off.  
“That drove many people sour on the industry, and just didn’t want to get caught up in this.” 
A vital part for the Pork Council staff is to meet with municipal councils informing them about the industry and the good things happening in some communities.  
“That’s a big part of what Manitoba Pork needs to set the stage for people to expand, or to build the barn or what have you. So, a bit of a slow process, but just laying the groundwork.” 
Some like the hog industry and others hate it, but many people and communities in the middle count the most. So the plan is to communicate with the people who matter, all governments and politicians in power or not.  
Many good things are happening in the Manitoba hog industry, but producers must have the infrastructure and framework to compete.  
“We’re price takers, not price setters when it comes to the price of pigs. We must keep pushing to have competitive pricing, change some of the formulas and some of that’s happened. Producers must do everything possible to keep the cost of production down.”  
Préjet said pricing and costs with some good business risk management programs, so if things go wrong with stuff out of producers’ control, the government is there to backstop the producer.  
“Whether it be that the U.S. puts tariffs or country of origin labelling back in, or China and Russia or anybody else does things that affect markets and the like.” •
— By Harry Siemens