The Canadian beef advantage is the newest buzzword as producers orchestrate a return to the American marketplace.
The Beef Information Centre’s mandate is to promote domestic consumption of Canadian beef, but its newest duty includes restoring foreign markets, said Kathy Keeler, the centre’s chief executive officer.
Polls show only one percent of the American public knew Canadian beef and live animals were banned, so the comeback will be low key.
“We’re not going in with our flags flying,” Keeler told the Alberta Beef Producers annual meeting Dec. 10.
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In March 2003, U.S. beef promotions were placed under the umbrella of BIC and since May 20 three goals have been set: restore Canadian export volumes on eligible products; achieve grade equivalency with the U.S. system; and secure and strengthen U.S. market access.
The campaign focuses on merchandising food safety and herd health in Canada. That includes promoting the feeding of vitamin E supplements to cattle because it helps retain fresh beef’s red colour in the meat case and extends shelf life. This is a common practice in Canadian feedlots.
On Dec. 1, BIC hosted its first food service distributors’ seminar in Detroit, Michigan, to promote Canadian beef. Information on muscle profiling and technical material was provided. The next seminar is in Phoenix, Arizona.
There is also work on shifting higher value middle meat volumes from retail to food service in anticipation of country-of-origin labelling legislation being deferred until 2006. U.S. food service outlets do not have to label their products under the proposal.
