Hog Watch Manitoba decries $2.2 million government subsidies to Topigs Norsvin - a foreign company, despite community concerns and opposition.

Winnipeg (December 2, 2021) – Hog Watch Manitoba shares the anger and frustration felt by many Plumas area residents who fought the approval of two large hog facilities in their municipality this past summer. Not only are they angered by the decision to go ahead with these two huge barns in the face of so much local opposition but now to find that their tax dollars are going to pay for it, is outrageous.  

They dispute the company’s claim this is being built in an isolated area as there are 8 homes in less than a 3 km circumference of one barn and the other is in close range to the Big Grass River and marshland, environmentally sensitive areas. 

There were 52 letters of opposition to the proposal and numerous presentations made expressing legitimate concerns about health impacts from toxic emissions from barns and open manure lagoons, and water consumption of 44,000 gallons a day depleting local water resources.

Hog Watch Manitoba is calling on both the provincial and federal governments to review their decision and if it cannot be reversed, provide local residents with assurances that toxic odour problems and water shortages will not be allowed. Mitigation such as air scrubbers on barns and water rights being enshrined should be imposed.

-30-

Feds Fund Cargill for Waste Processing at High River

Manitoba Co-Operator

The federal government has announced a grant of $10 million to Cargill Meat Solutions for its plant at High River, Alberta. Details here.          PLT photo 

PLT: While one might welcome the fact that this money will go toward pollution control, it is one more indication that Canada has no plan whatsoever to embrace the "polluters pay" principle. Why should Canadian taxpayers be paying for what Cargill ought to be doing itself? What is even worse - Canada is poised to slash the number of food inspectors  in the name of Harper's holy crusade to hack and slash the deficit. I wonder if the situation described in my earlier blog post, "Cargill Meat Recall in the 'States," will now become even more common here?