Canada’s pork sector faces internal conflict, export strain | Food Business Middle East & Africa

CANADA – Canada’s pork industry is facing pressure from both domestic policy disputes and worsening international trade conditions.

In Quebec, a new production volume plan proposed by Éleveurs de porcs du Québec (EPQ) has triggered sharp criticism from specialized pork producers like duBreton.

The company, which works with farms producing organic and gestation crate-free pork without antibiotics, says the EPQ’s surplus management system could result in income losses of up to 40% for its partner farms that exceed historical production levels.

Although the current plan exempts organic and certified animal welfare operations, duBreton is also calling for crate-free pork to be included in the exclusions.

Company president Vincent Breton has argued that the EPQ’s approach fails to align with current market demand, which is increasing for specialized products, and says the plan actively threatens the growth of that segment.

Breton has accused the EPQ of ignoring the needs of niche producers and is calling for a producer referendum to reassess the proposal.

Production decline in Quebec

Meanwhile, the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) reports that pork production in the Charlevoix region of Quebec has dropped by 30% over the past three years.

Since 2020, six pork farms have closed in the area, and the UPA warns that closures could continue under current economic conditions.

The UPA attributes some of the challenges to unequal access to compensation under the Agricultural Income Stabilization Insurance program, which it says needs to be corrected.

These regional struggles come as broader national issues continue to put Canadian pork exports at risk.

Tariffs impact national trade

Since March, Canadian pork exports to China have been subject to a 25% tariff, part of a larger package that also includes 100% tariffs on canola products and peas.

These trade measures, seen as retaliation for Canada’s earlier tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, remain in place with no sign of reversal.

With both internal regulation disputes and international barriers compounding financial strain, producers say the industry is being placed in an increasingly difficult position.

Industry representatives warn that without adjustments to trade policy and provincial frameworks, the sector could see further contraction in both farm numbers and export growth.

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