Nearly 5,000 people chowed down on Alberta beef burgers at a special barbecue held in Calgary to support the cattle industry.
Hard hit since a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy shut down international trade, the beef industry has been looking for a good news story.
The staff at the Municipal District of Rocky View office in Calgary organized the free, June 5 lunch in less than a week, drumming up donated burgers, chips and pop to demonstrate that Albertans are willing to eat beef and support producers.
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Gazing at the line up of guests that extended for two blocks, district reeve Al Schule said the lunch was meant to show the public that beef is safe to eat and that people want to help the rural community.
“It just shows there is a lot of support for our beef industry,” he said.
Drew DePatie, food service manager for Alberta Beef Producers, said calls are pouring into his office from retail stores and restaurants looking for publicity material to promote the industry, as well as information sheets for customers.
“We’re finding more people are wanting to get involved,” he said at the barbecue.
Pushing the beef on menus has actually resulted in a shortage of some cuts such as fancy steaks, he said.
Alberta beef education specialist Elaine Deeg said consumer confidence is strong.
“People are telling us they are not going to stop eating beef.”
A complete economic impact study on the loss of trade has not been completed, but the effects for Alberta are expected to be devastating.
According to Canfax and calculations made by Kevin Grier, editor of the Canadian Cattle Buyer newsletter, the total value of all cattle and beef exports in 2002 was $2.27 billion. Alberta’s share is about 75 percent. Beef exports to the United States were worth $1.3 billion, with Alberta’s share pegged at 78 percent.
Grier estimated Alberta producers are losing $3 million a week in lost cash sales.
