When talking about the future of Canada’s cattle industry, Keith Robertson holds to the adage that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
The industry suffered heavily this year due to BSE and the closure of the United States border.
However, Robertson, executive director of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association, believes the experience has shown the world that Canada has the checks in place to deliver safe, quality beef.
Intense scrutiny of those checks this year should present a strong marketing tool as Canada looks to not only restore lost markets for its beef, but to also pursue new ones, he said during the Manitoba Livestock Expo in Brandon last week.
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“We’ve proven to the world under the microscope that we can be competitive on that side of life.”
Besides demonstrating that it offers a safe supply of a quality product, Robertson said Canada’s beef industry has other tools to rebuild and extend its market reach.
The industry is close knit and capable of making changes quickly to meet market demand, he said. That agility helps when markets demand a different carcass size or when customers are looking for specific qualities in the meat they buy.
Another Canadian advantage is the Beef Information Centre, Robertson said. The centre provides guidance on things like tailoring cuts of meat to customers’ needs. The centre also promotes consumption of those various cuts by broadcasting information on how to best prepare them in meals.
Meanwhile, the industry’s work on animal health and welfare programs bodes well, he said, because those are coming under closer scrutiny as importing countries and consumers become particular about how their food is produced.
Robertson acknowledged that the cattle industry bears a stubborn streak, which he thinks can help it meet the growing challenges of beef production.
“We’re just pigheaded sometimes, and that’s a good thing.”
Supported by such a range of solid footing, he sees potential for the industry to build new markets not only within North America, but around the globe.
He noted that a loyal Canadian domestic market will also remain important, something that showed up this year during the BSE crisis.
The crisis drove home the need to reduce reliance on U.S. demand for Canadian beef and cattle. That market currently accounts for about 75 percent of the demand.
Robertson said the industry is determined to reduce that reliance to about 45 percent by 2010.
“We’re going to spread the risk around and manage it that way.”
