COCHRANE, Alta. – Alberta producers continue to debate the pros and cons of their province’s new meat and livestock strategy.
A compromise resolution passed at an Alberta Beef Producers zone meeting Oct.27 called for the organization to support the province’s proposal even if it has flaws.
“We recognize there are issues with some of the details, but we can’t argue with the fundamentals,” Strathmore feedlot operator Jeff Warrack said at the meeting in Cochrane.
Udo Adam of Okotoks said it is time for the beef industry to unite and solve common problems rather than creating dissension with other provinces and various commodity groups.
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“We are not a unified industry,” he said.
“We need support for the initiative that these five groups have generated.”
The strategy grew from a meeting that provincial agriculture minister George Groeneveld held a year ago with ABP, Western Stock Growers Association, Alberta Cattle Feeders Association, Beef Initiative Group and the Feeder Association of Alberta. Other meat groups have since joined.
Producers at the Cochrane meeting agreed with the concept but weren’t sure if the strategy and the newly appointed livestock agency board can get results. Its goal is to rebuild the red meat industry by finding new markets and adding value to Canadian beef, pork and lamb that has been restricted from international trade since 2003 because of BSE embargoes.
“There has to be something there of value. I don’t know if the agency board is a good idea,” said Tim Harvie of Cochrane.
“It would be nice if we had a unified voice in this country. If we did, we could get somewhere.”
ABP chair Erik Butters agreed that the proposal, which was released in June, has positive aspects. The association has been accused of blocking the government’s efforts.
“We are not trying to stonewall it. We have to find things that are going to work and not overburden us with regulations.”
ABP’s position is not to duplicate work already done nationally by the Canada Beef Export Federation, Beef Information Centre and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency. As well, the association does not want government requirements for information collection to add extra costs to an already stressed industry.
The ABP said it does not support mandatory requirements for age verification, carcass information, on-farm food safety, weaning dates and medication and vaccination information.
It also believes in a clear separation between information on mandatory traceability used for animal health and food safety requirements and data that could be used within a value chain.
Information collected for value-added programs should be voluntary.
Some of the government’s requirements may not be accomplished because of logistical problems. One of them is mandatory animal movement tracking, which cannot be implemented immediately because computer programs are not available to monitor the movement of animals from one location to another.
The province said farmers must register their premises with the government and age verify this year’s calf crop by year end. Feedlots must record animals’ arrival within seven days to the CCIA. Feedlots must submit a tag number for each animal arriving and leaving.
Producers must meet these requirements to receive the second Alberta farm recovery plan payment next year. The first cheques were delivered this summer.
