Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alta., attained its Verified Beef Production Plus certification last week, making it the first Alberta post-secondary institution to do so.
VBP+ is a national on-farm food safety program that requires certificate holders to comply with specific practices and standards for food safety, animal care, environmental stewardship and biosecurity.
The certification applies to Lakeland’s student managed farm, providing proof that it operates in sustainable ways in terms of environment, economics and social licence.
Bevin Hamilton, instructor and staff adviser for the commercial beef unit at Lakeland, said in a news release that being VBP+ certified would open some doors.
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“This certification proves to our consumers that what we are doing is right and in the best interest of the animals,” he said.
It could increase Lakeland’s access to markets for the beef it sells, which is derived from about 220 cattle.
The college is also certified as sustainable under the requirements of the Canadian Round Table for Sustainable Beef.
Melissa Downing, provincial co-ordinator for Alberta’s VBP+ program, said certification is also a message to students who are learning about cattle production.
“We can help influence students going through the program so they can become familiar with it,” she said about VBP.
Part of the program involves the expectation of accurate record keeping, which in Lakeland’s case was acquired through HerdTrax, an online cattle management program. It also uses updated cattle handling equipment in the G.N. Sweet Livestock research facility on site.
The VBP+ program will host annual training workshops at Lakeland to ensure all farm staff and incoming students fully understand the program, said the news release.
Commercial beef is one of six student-led farm units. The others include livestock research, purebred beef, dairy, sheep and crops.
