Today, Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, attended the Calgary Stampede where she announced an investment of $8.3 million for six projects that will help support Canada鈥檚 world-class beef industry. Today鈥檚 investments will help producers become more competitive and provide them with the tools they need to remain sustainable and innovative.
Through these projects, organizations such as the Canadian Cattlemen鈥檚 Association and Canada Beef will develop and strengthen international market opportunities for their high quality products, bolster Canada鈥檚 global beef brand, and ensure the highest standards in animal welfare and sustainability are maintained.
The largest portion of this investment, $5.3 million, is going towards Canada Beef to grow beef sales in important international markets, by expanding programs with retail partners and increase foreign consumer confidence in Canadian beef. This funding will help the Canadian beef sector further capitalize on the trade agreement the Government of Canada has advanced with Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and North America.
This also includes an investment of $1.7 million to the Canadian Cattlemen鈥檚 Association to offer producers new tools to build public trust in their product around the world. This funding will help all producers take full advantage of the Verified Beef Production Plus Program.
Quotes
鈥淥ur Government is proud to be working with industry to ensure Canada鈥檚 beef sector remains a strong driver of our nation鈥檚 prosperity and continues creating good jobs for our middle class. This investment will help grow markets, increase public trust in beef products, and harness the full power of the Canada beef brand here and around the world.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
鈥淏y diversifying Canadian trade and encouraging innovation in the beef industry, we continue to promote Canada as world leaders in cattle production and to create new opportunities for the agriculture industry to grow the economy.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Jim Carr, Minister of International Trade Diversification
鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud to be from a region of Canada so well known for its high quality beef products. With an export value of $2.75 billion, the beef industry is a key driver of the agricultural economy here and across the country.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Kent Hehr, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre
鈥淐anada Beef is pleased to partner with the Government of Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership program to fund and deliver important international Canadian beef market development programs that will help ensure the continued growth and success of the Canadian beef industry. Canada Beef shares the Government鈥檚 vision for significant growth in agricultural exports over the next five years. International markets add over $600 per head in additional value to the beef animal and helps the beef industry to be a significant driver for economic growth.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Michael Young, President, Canada Beef
鈥淭he investments administered through the CCA will support the work of both the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) and the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) Program, which, taken together will maintain Canada鈥檚 global leadership position in beef sustainability. This will facilitate continual improvement in the Canadian beef industry by measuring and tracking sustainability outcomes and support implementation of our Certified Sustainable Beef Framework. VBP+ will provide more tools to Canadian beef producers through enhanced producer training, improved database management and industry equivalencies with similar programs, and assurances for buyers that certified beef cattle operations adhere to the highest standards of food safety, biosecurity, animal care and environmental stewardship.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Anne Wasko, Chair of CRSB and Cecilie Fleming, Chair of the VBP+ Management Committee
鈥淭he continued support from the Government of Canada will create new opportunities to develop international markets that will produce an ongoing economic benefit for the Canadian beef genetics industry.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Roger Peters, President, Canadian Beef Breeds Council
鈥淭he National Cattle Feeders鈥� Association (NCFA) wishes to thank the Canadian Agricultural Partnership for the funds that made the internationally recognized welfare certification programs - Canadian Feedlot Animal Care Assessment Program and Animal Feedlot Care Program - a reality. Canadian cattle feeders prioritize animal welfare; and these programs give our beef producers social license to operate and ensure consumer confidence in our production and our products. The program鈥檚 education and training, along with improvement and continual implementation of certifiable animal welfare standards across Canada ensure that animals in the feeding sector are raised humanely.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Janice Tranberg, President and CEO, Alberta Cattle Feeders Association
鈥淭he support from the CAP will provide the CAA with the ability to conduct new research on a number of economically important traits relating to improving the efficiencies and productivity of the Canadian beef breeder. Currently the tools to measure, select and improve these economically critical traits are not available to the beef breeder and the development of these tools and the improvement in these traits will continue to impact the functionality of the Canadian cowherd.鈥�
-听听听听听听听 Myles Immerkar, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Angus Association
Quick Facts
- Other investments include:
路听听听听听听听聽 almost $800,000 to help the Canadian Beef Breeds Council grow markets for our world-class beef genetics;
路听听听听听听听聽 over $250,000 to help the National Cattle Feeders Association ensure public trust in animal welfare practices on our beef operations; and
路听听听听听听听聽 over $230,000 to help the Canadian Aberdeen Angus Association to improve animal welfare through genetics.
- Canada鈥檚 beef industry contributes $33 billion worth of sales of goods and services either directly or indirectly to the economy.
- In 2018, the Canadian beef industry (including veal) exported to 60 countries with a value of $2.75 billion.
- The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector.
- These investments are 小蓝视频 made under the AgriMarketing, AgriScience and AgriAssurance programs; three of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership鈥檚 federally-delivered programs.
