The Verified Beef Production program in Canada is gaining momentum.
National program manager Terry Grajczyk says 11,500 cattle producers are registered, up from 7,100 on Jan. 1, 2008.
VBP is a voluntary, producer-driven, on-farm program designed to complement food safety programs in meat processing plants and at the retail level to manage food safety risks across the food chain.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association implemented the grassroots program in 2005.
“Although we work with government as partners, VBP is not a government program and there is no intention of making it mandatory,” Grajczyk said.
Read Also
The Western Producer Livestock Report – August 28, 2025
Western Producer Livestock Report for August 28, 2025. See U.S. & Canadian hog prices, Canadian bison & lamb market data and sales insights.
Several adjustments were made to the program in early 2007 to better tailor it to the needs of beef producers.
The program has been simplified to focus exclusively on food safety. In the process, action items included a more clearly written manual, which was divided into “must do” and “recommendations.”
The manual and additional supporting information contain management information that can help producers make profitable decisions in today’s value-driven marketplace.
“We don’t expect profits to be made from food safety, but we do expect to enhance our customer confidence in our product.”
Grajczyk also said the program’s validation process has been streamlined.
Participants who want to be officially registered with the program are verified through a third party, audit style process. This offers a platform for marketing around food safety, she added.
On-line workshops implemented in February help make the program more accessible.
Grajczyk said they were designed to improve VBP workshop access for producers in remote areas and for those who prefer the convenience of on-line training.
The on-line workshops offer producers the same information and preparation they would receive at a live workshop, including animal health management, feed and water, cattle shipping, pesticide control and manure, training, communication and an overview of the Standard Operating Procedures that support on-farm food safety.
“We saw a huge increase in attending workshops this past winter and there’s a huge increase in interest in this program in general,” she said.
“The goal is to enhance the (consumer) confidence that we already have. I think Canadian domestic and international consumers already know we have a good system in place but this just helps us show and prove that we’re doing what we say we’re doing.”
