History

The Alberta Pork Producers Development Corporation was organized in 1969 as a self-sustaining, non-profit hog producer and hog marketing board controlled and directed by a board of directors.

Alberta Pork’s primary mandate from 1969 to 1996 was the marketing of all hogs for slaughter, as a single-desk seller, and to carry out programs on behalf of producers. In late 1996, the marketing powers were modified to allow open marketing for producers

Alberta Pork continues to represent the province’s registered hog producers before government, industry partners, media, the general public and other interest groups.

In November 2019, during Alberta Pork's annual general meeting and 50th anniversary banquet, a celebratory video, produced by The Two Cowboys, was shown to guests. See the full video below:

1969: Alberta Hog Producers Marketing Board is founded under Alberta’s Marketing of Agricultural Products Act. Bruce Jeffrey is named General Manager.

1970: Alberta Hog Journal is created to report on news and research affecting the industry.

1971: Gordon Holmstrom is named General Manager. Seven producer districts are created for representation, with director based in Hill Spring, Didsbury, Lacombe, Edberg, Sherwood Park, Vega and Grimshaw. Alberta Pork begins its marketing relationship with Japan. Albertans elect a Progressive Conservative government after 36 years of Social Credit rule.

1972: Ed Schultz is named General Manager. Banff Pork Seminar debuts. Alberta Hog Producers Marketing Board office moves to Capilano neighbourhood of Edmonton. Alberta Hog Journal is founded.

1973: Canadian Pork Council (CPC) is created. The Alberta Hog Board Export Program is created in alignment with Government of Alberta trade priorities; Japan is becoming a key market. Alberta initially rejects supply management for pork.

Alberta Pork's involvement with Pork Congress goes back to the mid-1970s, when the event debuted.

Alberta Pork terminals existed in locations across the province, connected to assembly yards.

1974: Alberta Pork Congress debuts in Red Deer. A labour dispute at three of the province’s largest processing facilities results in the shutdown of two-thirds of packing capacity for several months, causing price to plummet.

1975: New hog marketing system is introduced using six marketing terminals in Grande Prairie, Edmonton, Vermilion, Red Deer, Calgary and Lethbridge as flow control and hog collection points.

1976: High value of the Canadian dollar and removal of tariffs result in a 210% spike in U.S. pork imports.

1977: Work is underway to ensure producers can take advantage of contract marketing on all hogs, whether domestic or exported.

1978: “Alberta Pork” brand identity is created for promotional and everyday use.

1979: Alberta Hog Producers Marketing Board is legally renamed “Alberta Pork Producers Marketing Board.” Alberta Hog Journal expands its scope to become the “Western Hog Journal.” Government of Alberta and Alberta Pork raise concerns regarding countervailing duty issues that could arise from subsidized insurance programs in other provinces.

1980: Government of Alberta strikes a review committee for the Alberta hog market; producers show overwhelming support for the Alberta Pork Producers Marketing Board. Alberta Pork office moves to Princess Elizabeth Avenue in Edmonton. The Pocklington Financial Corporation, owner of Gainers, purchases Swift Canadian and amalgamates under Gainers, operating plants in Edmonton and Lethbridge.

1981: Government of Canada beings exploring supply management strategies for commodities; Alberta Pork, again, takes a position in strong opposition. Alberta Pork purchases the Fletcher’s Fine Foods processing facility in Red Deer.

1982: Alberta Pork’s “Put Pork On Your Fork” consumer marketing campaign debuts.

1983: Britco Pork begins operating in Langley, B.C.; Fletcher’s owns a minority share in the company.

1984: Gainers plant in Lethbridge is sold to Canada Packers; Gainers employees hold a picketing event at the Alberta Pork office. Fletchers acquires a distribution facility in Tukwila, Washington; U.S. National Pork Producers Council passes a resolution condemning the export of Canadian hogs to the U.S.

1985: Gainers launches a media campaign criticizing Alberta Pork, which results in negative press and encourages Alberta’s Agricultural Products Marketing Council to reconsider the board’s status as a hog marketer.

1986: Both Gainers and Fletcher’s experience employee strikes. Alberta producers cross the picket line at Fletcher's and assume responsibility for operating the slaughter operations.

1987: Alberta Pork Producers Marketing Board is renamed “Alberta Pork Producers Development Corporation.”

When Fletcher's went on strike, producers stepped up to keep the operation going.

Alberta Pork's shares of Fletcher's were sold off in 1993, and the plant was expanded in 1995. The plant would eventually be purchased by Olymel in 2001.

Maple Leaf Foods' Lethbridge plant was converted from beef to pork in 1998, to serve the Japanese market.

1988: Agriculture Canada conducts a hog carcass cut-out grading test, which is agreed to by Gainers and Fletcher’s.

1989: Legal challenges launched by the U.S. National Pork Producers Council compel Alberta Pork to create a contingency fund for legal battles, resulting in an increase of levy by $2 per hog. Sunterra Meats purchases its processing facility in Trochu.

1990: More than 50,000 hog carcasses are sold to the Soviet Union in a one-time effort to bolster prices. Alberta contributes 37 per cent of the total volume.

1991: Canadian Pork International (CPI), a joint initiative of the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) and CPC, is created to represent pork processors and exporters.

1992: Canada, the U.S. and Mexico sign the North American Free Trade (NAFTA) agreement.

1993: Alberta Pork declares a patronage dividend to be paid to producers for the sale of all the organization’s shares of Fletcher’s. Alberta Farm Animal Care Association (AFAC) is created.

1994: University of Alberta’s Swine Research [Technology] Centre opens in Edmonton.

1995: Alberta’s Municipal Government Act goes into effect, placing restrictions on the development of intensive livestock operations. Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop debuts.

1996: Alberta Pork’s position as the single-desk marketer for all hogs in Alberta comes to an end; the Western Hog Exchange (WHE) is formed as a division of Alberta Pork.

1997: Current Alberta Pork logo is created, using symbolism that represents the Rocky Mountains; clean brushstrokes and font evoke imagery of Mount Fuji, Japan, for marketing purposes. Alberta Pork joins seven livestock commodity partners to form the Intensive Livestock Working Group.

1998: Alberta Pork consumer services office opens in Calgary. The Canadian Quality Assurance (CQA) program is launched. Maple Leaf converts its beef processing plant in Lethbridge to pork.

1999: Separation between Alberta Pork (producer services) and WHE (marketing services) is complete; two distinct boards of directors are formed.

2000: As producer numbers shrink and production sizes increase, the Alberta Pork board of directors reduces its total number of districts from nine to six.

2001: Olymel purchases the Fletcher’s plant in Red Deer. Alberta Pork producer services office moves to south Edmonton, its current location.

2002: Alberta Pork’s Ambassador Program is launched as a social sustainability initiative to build goodwill between producers and consumers. Alberta’s Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA) goes into effect, defining environmental standards for the livestock industry; Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) is formed as a regulatory review body, in response.

2003: Alberta Pork’s Pig Science Centre opens at the University of Alberta’s Swine Research Technology Centre.

The Pig Science Centre was opened in 2003 to help education K-12 schoolchildren in aspects of production.

Ed Schultz was named one of Alberta's 50 Most Influential People by Alberta Venture magazine in 2006.

2004: Farm to Fork radio program launches across Alberta on CFCW. Various product promotions are undertaken as part of the Alberta Pork Sports initiative.

2005: Producer districts are consolidated again, with the result being three comprehensive regions: northern, central and southern.

2006: World Trade Organization (WTO) unsuccessfully negotiates removing trade barriers for global agricultural exporters; Alberta Pork participates. Alberta markets nearly four million hogs, an all-time high.

2007: Ed Schultz retires; Paul Hodgman is named Executive Director. The U.S. Government introduces Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (mCOOL), delivering a significant blow to Canadian pork marketing ability.

2008: Alberta Pork board of directors develops and begins implementing The Way Forward – The Strategic Plan for the Revitalization of the Alberta Pork Industry.

2009: H1N1 influenza enters Alberta, causing major disruption in the pork industry. The system of refundable levy, on request, is introduced in support of producer challenges.

2010: Paul Hodgman retires; Darcy Fitzgerald is named Executive Director.

2011: Economic downturn prompts a refund of 85 per cent of all producer levy. Alberta Pork is refocused entirely on producer services; consumer services office in Calgary is closed.

2012: Registered producer numbers hit an all-time low, with just over 300.

2013: Alberta Pork is named the provincial delegated authority for swine traceability.

2014: National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) introduces the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs.

2015: WTO issued a fourth and final ruling confirming that U.S. mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) discriminates against Canadian cattle and hogs. Albertans elect a New Democrat government after 48 years of Progressive Conservative rule.

The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs was an important step for animal welfare in the industry.

Three generations of the Alberta (1973), Western (1996) and Canadian (2018) Hog Journal.

2016: Provincial carbon tax and new farm safety requirements are introduced. Alberta Agriculture Farm and Ranch Safety Coalition (AgCoalition) was formed based on a common industry goal to foster a culture of farm safety.

2017: Western Hog Journal expands its scope to become the “Canadian Hog Journal.” The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union is provisionally put into effect.

2018: African Swine Fever (ASF) epidemic hits China and eventually spreads to more than a dozen countries in Asia and Europe. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) goes into effect.

2019: Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) enters Alberta for the first time. Albertans elect a United Conservative government after four years of New Democrat rule. Alberta Pork celebrates a half century of service to producers.

2020: Alberta Pork adapts to the COVID-19 environment by increasing producer engagement through virtual meetings. Alberta Pork works with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, as well as the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), to assist producers affected by COVID-19 processing closures. Alberta Pork works with the Government of Alberta and other partners to develop a long-term wild boar eradication strategy.

2021: Alberta Pork sets in motion the development and implementation of a new business plan to position the organization based on Revenue, Expense and Image, in service to producers. Key to the business plan are the 4-Ps of the Alberta pork industry: Pigs, People, Planet and Progress.

2022: Alberta Pork completes five-year antimicrobial use study of Alberta producers, showing a substantial decline over time. Canadian Hog Journal celebrates 50^th anniversary. The national Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PPRA) is launched after a decade of planning and consultation.

2023: Due to high production costs and lower returns, many farms exit the industry, removing about 20,000 sows from Alberta production. Marketing of Agricultural Products Act is modified to require Alberta’s federal packers to report aggregated sales data (settlement data) of pigs purchased, helping to improve marketplace transparency. Alberta Pork debuts electronic manifest (e-manifest) system to track pig movements, improving upon earlier, paper-based manifest system.

Alberta Pork's 4-Ps, as defined by our business plan.