The Manitoba NDP government pledged more support for cattle slaughter last week, amid cries from its critics that it was doing nothing but delivering more hollow promises.
Manitoba agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk described a $3 million plan that supports feasibility studies, business planning, construction, marketing and the tracking of livestock.
While the money could help support the development of more federally inspected slaughter, which allows the meat to be exported outside the province, Wowchuk said it’s important to also recognize the potential of provincially inspected plants.
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“We know that not everybody will go to a federal standard, and we know that our provincial slaughter capacity is very important in this province, so we’re there to support them.”
A day after the announcement, provincial Tory leader Stuart Murray and agriculture critic Ralph Eichler staged a media event at the legislature, accusing the NDP government of empty promises. The event was held on the second anniversary of the confirmation of BSE in an Alberta cull cow.
“What we’ve seen is nine announcements and zero activity,” said Murray. “If there is a crisis and you can’t count on government, who can you count on?”
Joining them were cattle rancher Cliff Graydon and his two-year-old grandson, who towed a grand champion Charolais cow and calf with them to Winnipeg.
Provincial programs have caused the size of the cattle herd in Manitoba to swell, said Graydon, and have not helped producers.
“Twenty-seven years ago I stood on these steps and gave away beef to raise awareness of the cattle people in this province and to get us a (provincial cattle) organization. This is just as important.”
Wowchuk said her government has done as much as other provinces and noted that cattle slaughter in Manitoba has risen from 16,500 head three years ago to almost double that capacity today.
The $3 million was already earmarked in the province’s budget in March. The announcement last week gave details of how it could be spent:
- Providing up to 10 percent of the capital costs for new or existing facilities wanting to upgrade or build to federally inspected standards. Up to $2 million will be available per applicant.
- Committing up to 20 percent of the capital costs for increasing slaughter at provincially inspected plants. The maximum per applicant is $200,000.
- Covering up to 90 percent of the costs of feasibility studies by those wanting to convert provincially inspected plants to federal standards. The cap on that support is $45,000 per study and $180,000 per applicant.
- Supporting loan guarantees for new plant construction and possibly sharing one-third of the cost for wastewater facilities under the Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Program.
Keith Robertson, executive director of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association, was hopeful last week that the announcement will mean not only more slaughter capacity but also more competition for Manitoba cattle.
“I think it will encourage some growth within the province, or the start of that, and the spinoffs from that will be very beneficial.
“Our membership would greatly like to see more packing capacity in the province.”
The United States was an important market for live cattle from Manitoba. Without it, the province’s cattle producers have become more dependent on buyers from Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Meanwhile the province last week pledged an additional $100,000 to cover the cost of a grant program to help provincial abattoirs meet new tracing requirements. The funding allows for a 50-50 sharing of the cost for the radio frequency identification readers needed to meet national tracking standards.
The province will also invest up to $150,000 to continue the Manitoba meat marketing initiative, established two years ago to promote consumer demand for Manitoba meat.
The $3 million is above the $11.5 million committed by the province to the Rancher’s Choice cull slaughter plant slated for Dauphin. The funding for Rancher’s Choice includes $4.5 million in equity shares and $7 million in loan assistance.
