The Alberta government has recognized the costs associated with mandatory age verification in beef cattle with a $15 million incentive program.Brent McEwen, executive director of traceability with Alberta Agriculture, said the government has placed a burden on producers through regulations and the mandatory age verification program.“It’s a reward for contributing and doing the work,” said McEwan.Under the three year Age Verification Incentive Program, producers will be eligible for discounts on the previous year’s radio frequency identification tags.Producers will be paid $3 for each animal tagged and age verified.McEwan said by paying producers on cattle tags from the previous year, it eliminates any trade subsidy issues, but still acts as a reward for cow-calf producers who must buy the tags.“The number one issue in the industry is tagging and the requirements to age verify. This is a way to provide producers a bonus for their time and their effort to contribute to a strong food safety system,” he said.“They’re at the beginning of the supply chain and don’t always see the benefits.”Only beef producers have a mandatory age verification program and are eligible for the program, but McEwan said other types of livestock might be included in the future.“It’s not to say it won’t be looked at down the road.”Alberta Beef Producers president Chuck MacLean said the payment recognizes the cost to beef producers to help maintain a safe food system.“I think the minister is trying to do the right thing. With mandatory age verification, at least they’re going to cover the physical costs,” said Mac-Lean, a feedlot operator from Bow Island.
Read Also
Feeder market continues the climb
For the week ending Aug. 30, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $4-8 per hundredweight higher on average.
