Market development | Buyers from nine countries have spent $5.6 million since program launched in 2010
EDMONTON — It’s Rafael Ramirez’s fourth trip to Farmfair International to buy cattle, and he’s looking to buy more.
On this trip, the Mexican is looking to buy semen to augment the genetics of 80 head of Charolais and Angus.
It’s Julio Gonzales’s third trip to Farmfair. Last year, he bought 100 bred heifers and this year he wants to buy more.
“I’ve come to see new genetics, live cattle and semen,” said Gonzales, who is also from Mexico.
“I want to improve our herd and make our herd larger.”
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Gonzales and Ramirez are the kind of buyers Farmfair exhibitors like to see stop by their booths.
Buyers from nine countries have spent $5.6 million buying 10 breeds of cattle since Farmfair’s international buyers program began in 2010. Add in other private buying deals, and the program designed to bring buyers to Farmfair has paid off in real dollars.
Dawn Wilson of Miller Wilson Angus said they have sold cattle around the world to buyers they met in the barns at Farmfair.
“We’ve been benefited greatly from the program, but so have other breeds,” said Wilson.
“It’s a phenomenal program.”
Visitors are subsidized $1,000 to $1,500 to help offset the cost of the trip.
“That little bit of funding has created millions of dollars to producers,” said Wilson.
Standing in the barn chatting to international buyers is an important connection between buyers and sellers.
The show string in the barn gives buyers a sense of the cattle herd back home.
“Lots have become long-term relationships. We’ve done business with lots of countries,” she said.
Vernon Davidson of Ponteix, Sask., said the Mexican buyers he has met at Farmfair have returned to Saskatchewan for their annual bull sale to buy livestock.
“They’re new markets. It’s a good trading opportunity for these countries. Any time we can get one on one, it builds relationships,” said Davidson.
Ignacio Gomez Arregui, a Mexican international business consultant, is one of four ambassadors hired to recruit potential Mexican cattle buyers to Farmfair. Other ambassadors recruit in the United States, Australia and Scotland.
Here are some video clips from Farmfair, 2014.
