Saskatchewan elk producers applaud Alberta’s decision to allow imports of live and direct-to-slaughter animals after a 16-year ban.
Luke Perkins, president of the Saskatchewan Elk Breeders Association, said the decision is a result of “incredible” hard work by Alberta producers in lobbying their provincial government. He said the result proves the industry is viable and opens up opportunities.
“It’s a huge step,” he said. “Now we’ve got fair trade going both directions.”
Saskatchewan meat producers will save on transportation costs now that they can ship to a federal slaughter plant at Fort Macleod, Alta. Another facility in Edmonton is rebuilding after a fire.
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They had been shipping to Ontario and, before the BSE border closure, the Dakotas and other American states.
Perkins said they are also excited about working with the Alberta Wapiti Products Co-op, or Awapco. That group slaughters about 300 head per year for export to Europe, he said, but is expected to slaughter 1,000-1,800 this year.
The co-op intends to launch a share offering to Saskatchewan producers to secure supply as the meat business grows.
Perkins said these developments are among several the industry is working on after being battered by chronic wasting disease and closed borders.
Producers have been shut out of the lucrative South Korean velvet antler market for four years.
“Losing your largest market forces you to either crumple up and die or hang in there,” he said.
More than 3,000 North American producers are looking at forming a new generation co-op called the North American Elk Products Co-op, he said.
There are 410 licensed elk producers in Saskatchewan with about 40,000 animals. The average herd size is 150.
