New Brunswick’s provincial government will put up $150,000 to help hog farmers audit and adapt their farms to handle new market opportunities.
The Hog Industry Enhancement and Renewal Initiative, announced Friday, will support:
- production audits by professionals such as veterinarians, engineers or agrologists, to assess requirements needed to meet new market possibilities, for 75 per cent of the cost of the audit, up to $5,000 per farm;
- feeding system upgrades, for 50 per cent of the cost up to $10,000 per farm for new feeding or watering systems that cut down on feeding costs or greenhouse gas emissions;
- travel costs to assess new technology or market opportunities, for 50 per cent of the travel bill up to $3,000 per farm; and
- a pilot program offering 50 per cent assistance for projects to modify hog transport units for more humane shipping of animals, such as in-transit waterers or feeders, surveillance cameras or ventilation systems, up to $10,000 per farm.
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The program will cover eligible costs incurred between April 1 and Oct. 31 this year, but will require pre-approval of applications for project proposals submitted between now and January 31, 2008. Claim forms for approved projects must be submitted by March 15, 2008.
The province noted in its release that hog farmers in New Brunswick “and everywhere else in Canada” face an especially tough year due to low hog prices, higher feed costs and the rising loonie.
The province on Friday also announced a $50,000 pilot project for energy audits on 12 farms.
