Winnipeg Free Press:
Industrial pork production has become unsustainable
Both Sides Now
By: Vicki Burns and Janine Gibson
Photo: NELSON CHING / BLOOMBERG NEWS FILES
Industrial hog production is leading to devastating issues for Manitoba, according to Vicki Burns and Janine Gibson.
For the last three decades, hog production in Manitoba has become increasingly industrialized with the number of pigs per barn jumping to the thousands and the number of actual pig producers dropping from over 14,000 in 1971 to a mere 200 today.
The pigs that are the basis of this industry are often referred to as animal units. The production system is under constant pressure to produce more piglets at less cost, resembling an industrial assembly line.