Beyond Factory Farming Coalition

Family Farms Not Factory Farms

Overview of ILO issues in Québec

Quebec is no exception when it comes to the trend of the industrialization (or "modernization") of agriculture. Between 1961 and 2001, the total number of active farms went from 95, 777 to 30, 539 (a loss of 68%), while the average farm size and livestock yields have significantly increased. The corporate concentration of agriculture in the province is such that 20% of producers (with incomes >$250,000) generated 70% of the total agricultural revenue.

View a map of "Very Large Livestock Farms" in Quebec by zooming in.

The majority of producers in Québec are forced to work off-farm jobs in order to make a decent livelihood. Without off-farm work and government subsidies, farm incomes would continually be in the negative.

Nearly 75% of all agricultural production in Quebec is livestock production, 34% of which is dairy farming. Pork production comprises another 19%, with poultry and eggs making up 11%. Other animal production including beef, lamb, and sheep contribute 10%.

The major issue in Quebec is the ever-expanding hog industry, and its impact on the environment and rural communities. In the fall of 2003 The Quebec government released its report on the public consultation process which recommended fundamental changes in hog production (pdf) in order to bring about sustainable hog production in Quebec. A moratorium on expansion of hog production was then put in place until the new regulations and policies can be implemented, but was ended prematurely in December 2004. Since then, grassroots community groups have been calling for the province to follow the Canadian Medical Association's recommendation to ban the expansion of the hog industry until an adequate understanding of the inherent risks of industrial hog farming is reached, and the appropriate solutions are implemented.

Furthermore, Olymel, the largest pork processing company in the province, has recently closed one of their largest processing plants in Saint-Valérien, a region with a high concentration of hog production. For now, producers are shipping their hogs to nearby ATrahan abattoir in Yamachiche, but if that arrangement fails to meet producers needs, La Fédération des producteurs de porcs du Québec says that they will sell to the Ontario market instead. Olymel blames the closures on the high value of the Canadian dollar and the lack of slaughtering capacity (meaning the plant cannot meet the slaughtering demands without significant upgrades) .

Another pressing issue in Quebec is the government measures taken to control avian flu outbreaks in the province. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Quebec announced that:

  • All poultry must be confined to indoor facilities as of November 12th, 2005
  • Producers must limit their flocks to one age group and one species of domestic birds per farm
  • Producers may only procure chicks from a CFIA licensed hatchery

The consequences of these measures are disastrous for family farmers who are producing organic poultry, and raising heritage breeds and it forces farmers to either refrain from poultry production or break the law, neither of which are favourable options.

The irony is that the actions put in place for preventing avian flu outbreaks are the exact conditions that weaken birds' immune systems (making them more susceptible to catching the flu) and promote the spreading of the disease.

Overview continues on the following pages:

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