OTTAWA – The federal government is facing heavy criticism over a decision earlier this month to allow more off-shore frozen boneless beef into Canada this year.
Cattlemen’s associations have complained that the imports are undermining the domestic market, contributing to a decline in cattle prices in recent weeks.
There have been complaints that the Liberal government caved in to processors who like to use off-shore beef to mix with domestic beef in manufacture of products.
Those complaints have made it to the ears of some Liberal MPs, who last week took the unusual step of criticizing their own government.
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“I cannot agree with that decision,” Ontario Liberal Paul Steckle (Huron-Bruce) told the agriculture committee Oct. 20. “I have to wonder whose interest we are working in.”
Other Liberals also complained privately that the Oct. 7 decision to open the borders wider has caused them grief in their own ridings.
Reform MP Jake Hoeppner criticized the decision as well, suggesting more off-shore beef coming into Canada will irritate Americans, who have more strict import controls and worry that Canada is a back door to their market.
While the government scrambled to get its side of the story out, Liberal members of the agriculture committee agreed to hold a hearing on the issue as soon as possible.
Agriculture minister Ralph Goodale will be asked to justify the decision.
On Oct. 7, the government announced that, because of processor demand and a lack of domestic supply, a 25-percent surcharge on imports of frozen inside round, outside round, eye of round, outside flat and sirloin tip cuts would be lifted for the rest of the year.
The decision was immediately criticized by Canadian Cattlemen’s Association president Ken Cameron of British Columbia.
It may be true that Canadian slaughter plants could not supply the processors, he said, but that is because the government has allowed the slaughter industry to decline.
It forces the cattle industry to export more live cattle.
“We’re not very happy about this,” he said. “The issue isn’t so much this decision. Not much beef will move. It is what this indicates about the government’s willingness to allow in off-shore product.”
Some cattlemen’s association representatives said they had not been consulted.
Last week, senior Liberals defended the government decision, arguing that Goodale met with the cattle industry and tried to find domestic supply before he allowed more imports. Lyle Vanclief, Goodale’s parliamentary secretary, said the CCA was consulted.
“It is absolute b.s. to say that cattlemen were not involved in the decision,” he said. “They were.”
