New leader outlines issues | Availability of feed barley is a concern for the beef industry that promotes grain-fed product
Glenn Logan is the new chair of the Feed Coalition, which promotes the interests of Alberta’s feed industry.
The farmer, seed grower and feedlot owner from Lomond will add that task to his others as a director with Alberta Barley, a member of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association and leadership involvement in 4-H.
Logan said he is getting familiar with the coalition’s ongoing projects but has already identified the plant variety registration process as a hurdle to producers’ early access to new feed varieties.
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“Producers want to be able to see faster benefits from variety research,” he said.
However, he said changes to the registration process could potentially reduce what seems to be the typical 10-year process for new variety registration.
The coalition also has input into crop research, where its interests include improved nutritional value of livestock feed.
Logan said consistent availability of barley for feed is another focus. Barley acreage has been shrinking over the past several years because of its lower returns relative to other crops.
The food grade and malt industries also take a cut of that crop.
However, Logan said the beef in-dustry has partially staked its reputation on grain-fed product that produces a particular taste and fat color, so consistent supply is important.
“The brand they’ve established for themselves as grain-fed beef, we don’t want to give that up.”
Barley also produces firm, whiter pork when used in hog diets.
Acreage planted to grain corn in Alberta has been slowly increasing with the availability of shorter-season varieties that require fewer heat units to achieve yield and quality.
Corn-based livestock diets, which are the norm in the United States, result in different meat characteristics. Widespread use of corn in Canadian livestock feed could result in lost product differentiation.
Coalition manager Kelly Chambers said Logan’s experience in many aspects of the agricultural industry will serve the organization well.
“His passion for feed is exactly what we need to build consensus and drive the competitiveness of our industry,” Chambers said in the announcement of Logan’s appointment.
The non-profit coalition includes producer associations from the beef, dairy, pork, poultry, wheat and barley sectors, as well as processors, industry representatives and researchers with the shared goal of increasing the feed industry’s competitiveness and profitability.
