The Manitoba Pork Council says the hog industry is being unfairly targeted by the provincial government.
The council, along with the Keystone Ag Producers and other groups, are not happy with the province's hog moratorium.
They're asking the government to lift the ban. If not, they say they're considering legal action.
In the meantime some hog producers worry they may have to leave the province.
James Hofer worries there is a grim future for Hutterite colonies in Manitoba. He says his colony near Starbuck as well as many others may be forced to leave if the provincial government continues a permanent moratorium on hog barn expansions.
"If one area doesn't suit or lend itself to our culture and our lifestyle, then yes, we just move," he said.
Investment gone bad
Right now 160 people live on the Starlite colony, and Hofer says its time to expand in another area. That's why last May the colony bought land near Altona.
"It was an investment that we did in purchasing the land and with the hog operation," he told CTV News. "And we were and thinking that we would be able to expand that operation - but that option is now eliminated."
It is eliminated because the land falls within an area where expansion won't be allowed.
Hofer says he bought more than 800 hectares of land with hopes the moratorium would be lifted by now - but he was wrong. After receiving a Clean Environment Commission report in March, the province banned barn expansion in three areas: in the South East, in parts of the Red River Valley, and the Interlake.
The province says the ban is in place to protect Manitoba's water. But hog producers say they are being unfairly targeted. The Manitoba Pork Council and Keystone Ag Producers say if the provincial government doesn't find another solution they will seek legal advice on how to stop it.
