Ontario needs more abattoirs: New CFFO president

GUELPH — The new president of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario says that when the pandemic is over, the federal and provincial governments will need to help abattoirs.

One of the biggest post-pandemic issues facing farmers will be the lack of abattoirs, said Ed Scharringa, who was elected at the organization’s annual general meeting on March 24. He served on the CFFO board of directors for 11 years (including time as vice-president). He is a wholesale flower grower at a 400-acre Hamilton farm that employees 50 people. Scharringa is semi-retired and his son now runs the farm.

Scharringa would like the federal and provincial governments to allow abattoirs a quicker route back to opening when they have been forced to shut down, such as when the processing licence was cancelled for Ryding-Regency Meat Packers Ltd. for providing “false or misleading information” test results about E. coli.

“Correct what went wrong there and slap them on the wrist and get this place going again,” he said. “Don’t shut these guys down forever.”

Scharringa said his own operation is switching some flower acres to other crops because of the likely COVID-19 impact on flower sales.

“What’s the point of growing something if you can’t sell it?” he asked.