Small Flocks Hit the National Post
Posted: December 3, 2013
Categories: Food in the News / GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Ontario / The Meat Press
On December 1st, Jen Gerson of the National Post published, Small-scale poultry farmers unite against the ‘Chicken Mafia’ and strict supply management rules, effectively highlighting the issues affecting some small flock owners in Ontario.
Our current chicken supply management, or quota, system limits non-quota holding producers to 300 broilers per year, for farmers’ home consumption or to be sold at the farm gate. These birds must also be processed at a provincially-inspected abattoir.
Sustain Ontario believes that there is a great opportunity to innovate within the supply management system. Quota was originally introduced to shield farmers from market swings and bankruptcy and to protect the home market. Ontario chicken quota was initiated in the 1970s, and is administered by the Chicken Farmers of Ontario, who are accountable to the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission. Visit the Flocking Options’ campaign website to learn more about Ontario’s chicken supply management system, and to show your support for supply management innovation by filling out the online postcard.
As the article mentions, current minimum Ontario quota for broilers is 14,000 units of live weight. The 2012 cost was $125/unit, or $1.75 million. Quota holders can cycle approximately 14,000 units 6.5 times/ year, an estimated 91,000 birds/ year. The quota price does not take into account the infrastructure and maintenance expenses required to raise the birds, which can be prohibitive for many small holders.
The article also alludes to the concern about the lack of local, provincially inspected abattoirs, which have decreased by 40% Ontario since 1991. Distance and transportation can be a disadvantage for smaller and diversified farmers who wish to market locally or who require custom slaughter.
As people continue to demand local, sustainably-raised products, new market niches appear. Chicken is no exception. Many small producers would like the opportunity to raise 1,000 or 2,000 birds per year (fewer units of live weight, fewer cycles per year), and to fulfill the increasing demand for local, pastured and organically-raised poultry at places like farmers’ markets or CSAs. Because they are often diversified, these farmers have different economies of scope and scale than the large quota producers. Instead of focusing on one product, small flock holders may manage their schedules according to different harvest and slaughter periods throughout the year.
Coming to the table to discuss flocking options or flexible quota allocation would help small producers meet growing demand in Ontario niche markets, while helping small farmers maintain sustainable livelihoods.