PREMIER ANNOUNCES MAJOR FOOD DONATION TO FOOD BANKS

The Province of Saskatchewan announced a major donation to Saskatchewan Food Banks today.

Premier Brad Wall, in conjunction with Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud, Social Services Minister Donna Harpauer and representatives from the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board (Sask Pork) announced up to $440,000 in funding to process animals culled through the National Cull Breeding Swine Program. The processed pork will be donated to food banks throughout Saskatchewan.

"I would like to congratulate Sask Pork for making the best of a bad situation," Wall said. "The donated meat will help thousands of Saskatchewan people, who rely on food banks, to help feed themselves and their families."

"Our industry is going through a period where pork has little market value, similar to the situation beef producers experienced a few years ago," Saskatchewan Pork Development Board general manager Neil Ketilson said. "The program announced today augments the federal Cull Swine Breeding Program to reduce the Canadian sow herd and also provides much needed food supply for the province's food banks."

"The Food Banks of Saskatchewan are very appreciative to be able to obtain this valuable source of protein to help the needy families of this province through our provincial network of food banks and other community agencies," Food Banks of Saskatchewan executive director Bill Hall said. "I was very excited by the attitude of co-operation that existed between all the parties involved to try to at least make the best of a very difficult situation for many rural families."

The funding will be administered through Sask Pork, which will co-ordinate the processing of sows with producers and provincial meat processors, and then co-ordinate distribution of the meat to the Food Banks.

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For more information, contact:

Scott Brown
Agriculture
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4031
Email: scott.brown@gov.sk.ca