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We have identified the progressive direction of this government to turn rural Saskatchewan into a dumping ground for huge hog operators by relaxing pollution and labour standards(1)(2). We have now further evidence of the planning carelessness of Big Sky and of this government in proceeding with the two new 30-million dollar hog projects, one in Rama and the other in Ogema(3). Even though water drilling came up dry in the Rama area, Florian Possberg, president of Big Sky, says that the project will go "full steam ahead" using surface water instead(4).

Local residents have been raising concerns about this project saying that there is not enough surface water to support the hog operations. They pointed out that major hog operations like Rama, producing some 116,000 market hogs per year, need 22-million litres of water per year to operate and this concern is not being addressed.

Florion Possberg is confident he can get the surface water from a nearby dug-out and says that "construction will go ahead as planned...The earth moving equipment will likely roll onto the site in the next week and a half."

The local residents are quite right in addressing the concern that 22-million litres of water per year are not going to be available from the nearby dug-out. We know that in a water-scarce region of Colorado, one pig factory alone produces 350,000 pigs annually, consuming nearly two million gallons of fresh water every day - much of it used to flush out massive amounts of manure(5). Therefore, the concern over the availability of water is very real and Florian Possberg should not proceed with the immediate rolling of the earth moving equipment prior to settling this concern.

In the meantime, the families of three hog men killed by poisonous manure gas are disgusted with the province's response to the tragedy(6). After a two-year investigation, the occupational health and safety branch says no one is to blame.

I am acquiring strong reservations about the good will of Big Sky and the good will of this Government in serving rural Saskatchewan and protecting the lives of its citizens.

Endnotes

1. Diversification of Rural Saskatchewan: A dumping ground for huge hog producers, by Mario deSantis, July 23, 2000

2. Government of Saskatchewan's Hog Venture: Relaxing pollution and labour standards in the name of agricultural diversification, by Mario deSantis, July 19, 2000

3. INVESTING IN HOG FARMS EXPANSION, Crown Investments Corporation - 424, July 10, 2000 Government News Release http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2000/07/10-424.html

4. Questions surround Hog Operation, CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | Jul 26 2000 8:34 PM EDT

5. Environmental Pollution, http://www.hfa.org/pigs-2.html#Pollution

6. Families of fume victims angry, CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | Jul 28 2000 8:39 AM EDT