Beleaguered hog producers in Manitoba are welcoming an initiative in Tuesday's federal budget that sets aside $50 million to pay farmers to cull their sow herds.

The Manitoba Pork Council expects about 10 per cent of producers will take the federal government up on its offer to reduce the sow population. The industry has been struggling as the cost of feed soars, while the price producers are paid for their pork falls.

Council manager Andrew Dickson estimates more than 100 farmers in the province will cull their herds — collecting more than $200 per head — and likely get out of the hog business for good.

About 36,000 sows could be slaughtered in Manitoba, but the meat from the animals, which is suitable for sausages or meat pies, will not make it to market, Dickson said.

The government does not want to risk raising the ire of the American hog industry by offering the excess sow meat on the human consumption market, he said, so the sows have to be either used in pet food or composted.

"We've got to be very careful here," he said. "We don't want a trade challenge from the United States on things like getting rid of old sows."

But David Northcott, head of the province's largest food bank, disagrees. He would love to get some of the meat to the 17,000 Manitoba families that use food banks — and he doesn't believe doing so would violate trade agreements.

"If it we give it to low-income, hungry Canadians, the same way that the U.S. people give it to hungry Americans, that's not dumping. That's feeding our citizens," he said.

Some hog producers have already contacted him about donating animals they can't make any money by selling, he said.