WINNIPEG — The Canadian Beef Grading Agency is looking for public comment by Aug. 31 about proposed changes to the yield and grade classifications on beef, veal and bison. The agency wants Canada to have five yield classifications, rather than the current three. This would bring Canada more in line with the United States and […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Slow progress on BSE report hurts exports
WINNIPEG — A final report on Canada’s nineteenth case of BSE is not expected to be ready until later this fall. The BSE-infected animal was diagnosed on an Alberta purebred operation in February and was the second case on the same farm. Born in 1999, two years after a strict feed ban went into effect, […] Read more
Mislabelled beef could hurt Canada’s reputation
WINNIPEG — Food fraud in China could damage Canada’s reputation as a supplier of high quality beef. During a recent trip to China, Canada Beef Inc. president Rob Meijer discovered some substandard beef in a high-end retail store bearing the Canada Beef brand. As far as he could tell, it was re-packaged product with an […] Read more
CCA urges deal with Japan to increase beef exports
WINNIPEG — The Canadian cattle industry needs the Trans-Pacific Partnership to gain more access to Japan, where high tariffs on imported beef prevail, say members of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Australia already has a bilateral agreement with Japan and tariffs are coming down. It pays 31.5 percent on fresh product and 29 percent on frozen […] Read more
Cattle, beef prices continue to delight producers
WINNIPEG — After lifetimes of working as cow-calf producers, Dave Solverson and Dan Darling are experiencing unfamiliar prosperity. “The last 18 months have been incredibly beyond our dreams,” said Solverson, who ranches near Camrose, Alta., and is president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Vice-president Dan Darling of Castleton, Ont., echoes that optimism. Both men have […] Read more
Saving face a factor in COOL repeal
American industry official is confident labelling rule will be repealed before Canada takes retaliatory measures
WINNIPEG — Finding a resolution for the country of origin labelling dispute between Canada and the United States could come down to the final hour, says the president of a prominent U.S. beef organization. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president Philip Ellis said his group favours a repeal before retaliatory tariffs from Canada and Mexico […] Read more
Ranchers find hay through social media
Thousands of producers desperate for hay have turned to social media to find livestock feed. Cindy Wilinski of Okotoks, Alta., set up Hay List 2015 on Facebook intending to help acreage owners find hay for their horses at an affordable price. “It just absolutely snowballed from there and so many people have entered the database,” […] Read more
Advocates compile farm surface lease data
The Alberta farmers’ advocate office is collecting landowner information on surface leases, transmission lines, seismic and pipeline right of way agreements to develop four on-line maps. The Surface Rights Land and Energy: Pricing Transparency Mapping Project seeks information on seismic and pipeline right of way agreements no older than 2011 and surface lease and transmission […] Read more
Farm supports may kick in $1B for Alberta
Alberta may pay close to $1 billion in support payments to farmers this year as crops succumb to drought, grasshoppers and hailstorms. But other than some additional help for livestock producers, any help will come through existing farm programs. “We are in a drought,” Alberta agriculture minister Oneil Carlier said at a news conference. Beyond […] Read more
Lumby, B.C. couple win CCA environment award
WINNIPEG — A British Columbia ranching family has been named the 2015 national environmental stewardship award winners. Darrell and Doris Squair, owners of Squaw Valley Ranch at Lumby, B.C., received the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association award Aug. 12 in Winnipegduring the organization’s semi-annual meeting. The ranch has about 500 cows and is in a valley that […] Read more
