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Maple Leaf’s McCain sees clear path for future of Canadian hog industry -Banff 2016
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 3, 2017
Michael McCain, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, kicked off the 2016 Banff Pork Seminar with a strong message for the industry. “I am very confident about our future as a sustainable, profitable industry, but this will require embracing the social and environmental factors I am discussing here today.” Those three areas of focus and opportunity going forward are health and nutrition, animal welfare and environmental sustainability.
McCain notes that the industry must work hard on getting balanced information to the public to insure that consumers are receiving accurate information and to prevent red meat being vilified as gluten has been in the last few years. Transparency of management practices and continued reduction of antibiotic use are key players in improving public opinion.
Most retail and food service organizations identify animal welfare as their number one concern in meeting societal expectations and within this, conversion from gestation crates to loose housing is their top priority – one in which McCain feels Canadian producers are lagging behind.
“Blaming activists or reverting to a defensive posture will not solve this challenge. This is not a fleeting issue and defending the status quo is not a viable option,” says McCain. “As an industry we need to rally together to advance higher standards and higher expectations of each other.”
From the environmental standpoint Maple Leaf has committed as a company to reduce their environmental footprint by 50 per cent by 2025 – and McCain noted that many of the efficiencies they are making have also had a positive impact on the bottom line of the organization.
Looking forward McCain sees both challenges and opportunities ahead for the Canadian pork industry.
Maple Leaf’s McCain sees clear path for future of Canadian hog industry -Banff 2016