The U.S. country-of-origin-labelling law has arrived after a 12 year process, creating market disruptions and confusion for the meat industry. The law went into effect Sept. 30 and the only consensus among Canadian and American producers and packers is that no one likes the final version released July 31. “It’s extremely confusing and the one […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Exporters not familiar with COOL details
Cattle exports to the United States are expected to be down until producers figure out the finer points of its country-of-origin-labelling law. “I suspect the volumes will be back, but I think there will be a permanent price impact, and we don’t know to what extent that will be,” said John Masswohl of the Canadian […] Read more
Historic foothills ranch preserved
LONGVIEW, Alta. – One of Alberta’s oldest ranches will be preserved through a combination of a heritage rangeland designation and conservation easements. The OH Ranch, owned by Calgary oilman Daryl Seaman since 1987, is now protected from future development and will continue as a working cattle operation in the Alberta foothills. Seaman has been ranching […] Read more
Seed treatment taps into light for lush crops
BALZAC, Alta. – Long rows of heavy-podded, lush canola plants grow toward the horizon on this farm near Balzac. They are part of an experiment that is studying the effects of a seed treatment on oats, wheat, barley, corn and canola. The treatment, which improves photosynthesis and results in more lush growth and higher yields, […] Read more
Beef suppliers see worldwide shakeup
The former giants of the meat trading world are under siege. Chicken rules as the most popular meat and Brazil and China are gaining on the traditional world suppliers of pork, poultry and beef. “Beef demand is limited by its relative high cost of production and the supply limitations to produce more beef in many […] Read more
Trade trip targets Asian fears
Alberta’s agriculture minister and board members of the meat and livestock agency are travelling to Asia this month with one question of potential customers. What will it take to start selling beef in Japan and South Korea, where regulations and BSE trade embargoes knocked Canada to its knees with little sign of recovery? People can […] Read more
Canadian beef chases oil money
Oil-rich countries could be the next buyers of Canadian beef. Canada Beef Export Federation has hired the British agri-food consulting firm Gira to study the potential of beef markets in the Middle East and North Africa. “We have a very clear view that this is a growing and increasingly attractive beef export opportunity for everybody […] Read more
Game meat chef draws curious crowd
For 16 years chef Ken Canavan has served a list of tantalizing game meat to Calgary restaurant goers who are looking for western charm and properly cooked dishes. As head chef at the Calgary restaurant Cilantro, he has experimented with game meat from operations such as the Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch. Owned by Canadian Rocky […] Read more
Age proof comes athigh cost
After a lifetime in the beef business, Brian Nilsson has learned to follow the money. As co-chief executive officer of XL Foods with plants in Edmonton, Calgary, Moose Jaw, Sask., and Omaha, Nebraska, he has learned chasing lucrative markets outside the United States and Mexico carries extra costs. And Nilsson says the higher costs of […] Read more
Age ID vital: meat buyer
Mandatory age verification must be implemented if Canada hopes to do more business with Japan, says a leading Asian meat seller. “I have no doubt increasing the supply of Canadian beef by requiring ear tags with birth records should be the industry’s top priority today,” said Kunitaka Dan of the Japanese meat trading company Stamina […] Read more
