GRUNTHAL, Man. — An unusual air of frustration and pessimism hung over a Manitoba Beef Producers meeting here Nov. 7, considering that it’s a time of record high prices.
Profits are good now, but farmers are scarred by years of suffering and provincial problems that have caused the herd to drop by almost 20 percent.
“We let it slip through our fingers,” one farmer said about the loss of the beef packing industry decades ago.
The Canada-European Union free trade deal, if passed, will open up more markets, but “is this going to be another hope that will fade?”
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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
There were other concerns as well:
- Frequent flooding damage, which has made it difficult or impossible for some farmers to stay in the business.
- Ongoing tuberculosis control challenges, which prevents herds from expanding in formerly ideal areas.
- Levies charged to fund increased provincial slaughter but providing little.
- Loss of major U.S. calf markets due to BSE and country-of-origin labelling.
- A general sense that the industry hasn’t been treated well by governments.
“Manitoba’s taken the biggest hit, actually,” said MBP manager Melinda German, differentiating the province from declines in other provinces, including Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“We’ve seen that larger drop.”
German said the provincial herd was 520,000 animals when she moved to Manitoba 13 years ago. Today it’s down to 440,000.
The smaller herd size has prompted cattle producer organizations to push for higher checkoffs. Manitoba’s checkoff increased from $2 per head to $3 in July.
