General
While we'd all rather see a fully opened border, the Alberta government, working with industry, is making substantial progress on our six-point BSE recovery plan.
Already, we've increased slaughter capacity by about 25 per cent, Canada-wide, over pre-BSE levels. Slaughter rates are up by more that 30 per cent over the same period last year.
Through the six-point plan, the Alberta government has committed more than $870 million to producers.
1. Increasing slaughter capacity:
We've seen significant growth already in our slaughter capacity – about 25% growth since 2003. In 2004, total Canadian slaughter in federal and provincially inspected plants totaled 3.96 million head.
Balancing our slaughter capacity will ensure we have the flexibility to move our meat products from market to market. It will also allow us to build our value-added sector and develop new products for more markets.
In Alberta, expansions to slaughter facilities have increased capacity to about 63,000 per week, an increase of close to 750,000 head over pre-BSE levels.
Announced expansions include Sunterra Meats in Innisfail - expand by 1,500 head per week; Rancher's Beef in Balzac - 800 head per day; Rancher's Meats (OTM) in the County of Parkland - 800 per day; Canadian Premium Meats in Lacombe (diversified, OTM and custom slaughter) – 670 per week; Cargill Foods in High River will expand slaughter by 5,400 per week; and Tyson Foods in Brooks will expand by 5,000 head per week.
Other announced projects across Canada are projected to raise national slaughter capacity to over 100,00 per week by December of 2006 – 5 million annually. Currently slaughter capacity is about 90,000 per week – forecast at 4.1 million annually for 2005.
AFSC's $50-million Project Investor Financing Loan Program encourages Alberta business projects that support rural development or agriculture value-added industry. This program provides financing to investors for the purpose of purchasing shares in a project company. To date, $10.1 million has been advanced in support of beef slaughter capacity and currently more applications are being considered.
An additional $5 million was provided to an industrial infrastructure program to help municipalities meet increased demand for water/wastewater development to accommodate new slaughter or agri-processing facilities.
A new $5-million environmental program was introduced to help processing companies build infrastructure to help overcome odour, traffic congestion and noise.
OTM Slaughter
Changes to export protocols and the re-establishment of live cattle trade to the US have increased access to our slaughter facilities for older cull animals. Current OTM slaughter is about 25 percent higher than a year ago. Total projected slaughter is running about 160,000 head/year below pre-BSE marketings.
U.S. Live Cattle Trade
Slaughter rates in Canada have moderated since July 2005 with the re-opening of the US border to live cattle trade under 30 months. Slaughter cattle exports have ranged between 12,000 to 20,000 head on a weekly basis.
2. Herd Inventory Management
With the opening of the U.S. border to cattle under the age of 30 month on July18, 2005, our herd inventory management programs were discontinued. While they were active, these programs helped to stabilized the market - and reduced the risk for our producers.
More than 13,000 producers applied to set aside approximately 550,000 animals at $200 per head. That means approximately $110 million in federal and provincial funds were invested in supporting Alberta cow-calf producers. Set aside animals were released in July 2005, when the U.S. border opened to live animals under 30 months of age.
Nationally, 874 producers registered to participate in the Fed Cattle Set Aside Program. This program was suspended in July with the expanded border opening. At that time, producers with animals set aside under the program choose whether to take animals off of set aside early or continue with the set aside until the original set aside period was up. All animals were released from the program as of October 123, 2005.
On May 18, 2005, the province committed to working with industry in targeting mandatory age verification for all young cattle slaughtered in Alberta processing plants as of April 1, 2007. As of Nov 4, 2005, more than 832,000 birth date records had been submitted to the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency's Age Verification program.
3. Other income support:
Overall, we have invested nearly $870 million since May of 2003 in our cattle industry.
Through the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization Program we have approved more than $377.7 million in CAIS payments and advances for the 2003 program year. A further $300 million has been approved for producers in the form of payments and advances for the 2004 program year.
CAIS Overpayments
For the most part, 2003 CAIS advances have been reconciled. For 2004, a significant portion has been offset, reducing the overall numbers requiring repayment.
4. New product/market development:
We need to diversify our export markets. We also need to develop new products and add more value to our high quality meat right here at home.
The $33-million Beef Market and Retention Fund will help the beef industry find more export markets and increase sales in existing ones.
The Alberta government has put in place programs – both financial and operational – that help make this happen. We'll be better off if all of our animals leave the province in a box – not on the hoof.
$5 million has been committed through the Beef Product and Market Development Program, for 44 projects that will support market-driven initiatives that use meat from animals older than 30 months of age.
That $5 million has stimulated investments of $20 million by Alberta companies – nearly a three-fold increase. One of these projects - XL foods modernized a small plant in Calgary and will process 450 of OTM per day – this is completely new processing.
AFSC's $20-million Beef Product and Market Development Loan Program offers Canadian agri-food processors licensed in Alberta funds to increase market opportunities for Alberta beef over 30-months-old. So far, $6.1 million has been advanced for 10 projects – four slaughter facilities and six value-added food processing operations.
5. Surveillance
Our surveillance system has received high marks from many including the USDA.
As of October 22, Alberta has tested 24,041 cattle for BSE – more than double of our 2005 target of 10,425 animals. Canada has tested more than 46,900 to date. (surpassing our target of 30,000).
In 2004, Alberta tested 11,747 animals for BSE, far surpassing its target of 2,780 animals.
6. Research:
The emergence of BSE in Canada has really highlighted need and opportunity for further research into prion and BSE-related areas.
Alberta has announced $38 million for a prion sciences research initiative. With the announcement of its $38 million prion sciences initiative, Alberta will lead the country in prion research, improving our understanding of prions and how to deal with BSE.
$7 million has been allocated to investigate commercial uses for specified risk materials. Canada generates approximately 50,000 – 65,000 tonnes of specified risk materials (SRMs) per year. The agriculture industry, working with government, has been looking at potential new uses for this material.
Last Updated: November 16, 2005
While we'd all rather see a fully opened border, the Alberta government, working with industry, is making substantial progress on our six-point BSE recovery plan.
Already, we've increased slaughter capacity by about 25 per cent, Canada-wide, over pre-BSE levels. Slaughter rates are up by more that 30 per cent over the same period last year.
Through the six-point plan, the Alberta government has committed more than $870 million to producers.
1. Increasing slaughter capacity:
We've seen significant growth already in our slaughter capacity – about 25% growth since 2003. In 2004, total Canadian slaughter in federal and provincially inspected plants totaled 3.96 million head.
Balancing our slaughter capacity will ensure we have the flexibility to move our meat products from market to market. It will also allow us to build our value-added sector and develop new products for more markets.
In Alberta, expansions to slaughter facilities have increased capacity to about 63,000 per week, an increase of close to 750,000 head over pre-BSE levels.
Announced expansions include Sunterra Meats in Innisfail - expand by 1,500 head per week; Rancher's Beef in Balzac - 800 head per day; Rancher's Meats (OTM) in the County of Parkland - 800 per day; Canadian Premium Meats in Lacombe (diversified, OTM and custom slaughter) – 670 per week; Cargill Foods in High River will expand slaughter by 5,400 per week; and Tyson Foods in Brooks will expand by 5,000 head per week.
Other announced projects across Canada are projected to raise national slaughter capacity to over 100,00 per week by December of 2006 – 5 million annually. Currently slaughter capacity is about 90,000 per week – forecast at 4.1 million annually for 2005.
AFSC's $50-million Project Investor Financing Loan Program encourages Alberta business projects that support rural development or agriculture value-added industry. This program provides financing to investors for the purpose of purchasing shares in a project company. To date, $10.1 million has been advanced in support of beef slaughter capacity and currently more applications are being considered.
An additional $5 million was provided to an industrial infrastructure program to help municipalities meet increased demand for water/wastewater development to accommodate new slaughter or agri-processing facilities.
A new $5-million environmental program was introduced to help processing companies build infrastructure to help overcome odour, traffic congestion and noise.
OTM Slaughter
Changes to export protocols and the re-establishment of live cattle trade to the US have increased access to our slaughter facilities for older cull animals. Current OTM slaughter is about 25 percent higher than a year ago. Total projected slaughter is running about 160,000 head/year below pre-BSE marketings.
U.S. Live Cattle Trade
Slaughter rates in Canada have moderated since July 2005 with the re-opening of the US border to live cattle trade under 30 months. Slaughter cattle exports have ranged between 12,000 to 20,000 head on a weekly basis.
2. Herd Inventory Management
With the opening of the U.S. border to cattle under the age of 30 month on July18, 2005, our herd inventory management programs were discontinued. While they were active, these programs helped to stabilized the market - and reduced the risk for our producers.
More than 13,000 producers applied to set aside approximately 550,000 animals at $200 per head. That means approximately $110 million in federal and provincial funds were invested in supporting Alberta cow-calf producers. Set aside animals were released in July 2005, when the U.S. border opened to live animals under 30 months of age.
Nationally, 874 producers registered to participate in the Fed Cattle Set Aside Program. This program was suspended in July with the expanded border opening. At that time, producers with animals set aside under the program choose whether to take animals off of set aside early or continue with the set aside until the original set aside period was up. All animals were released from the program as of October 123, 2005.
On May 18, 2005, the province committed to working with industry in targeting mandatory age verification for all young cattle slaughtered in Alberta processing plants as of April 1, 2007. As of Nov 4, 2005, more than 832,000 birth date records had been submitted to the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency's Age Verification program.
3. Other income support:
Overall, we have invested nearly $870 million since May of 2003 in our cattle industry.
Through the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization Program we have approved more than $377.7 million in CAIS payments and advances for the 2003 program year. A further $300 million has been approved for producers in the form of payments and advances for the 2004 program year.
CAIS Overpayments
For the most part, 2003 CAIS advances have been reconciled. For 2004, a significant portion has been offset, reducing the overall numbers requiring repayment.
4. New product/market development:
We need to diversify our export markets. We also need to develop new products and add more value to our high quality meat right here at home.
The $33-million Beef Market and Retention Fund will help the beef industry find more export markets and increase sales in existing ones.
The Alberta government has put in place programs – both financial and operational – that help make this happen. We'll be better off if all of our animals leave the province in a box – not on the hoof.
$5 million has been committed through the Beef Product and Market Development Program, for 44 projects that will support market-driven initiatives that use meat from animals older than 30 months of age.
That $5 million has stimulated investments of $20 million by Alberta companies – nearly a three-fold increase. One of these projects - XL foods modernized a small plant in Calgary and will process 450 of OTM per day – this is completely new processing.
AFSC's $20-million Beef Product and Market Development Loan Program offers Canadian agri-food processors licensed in Alberta funds to increase market opportunities for Alberta beef over 30-months-old. So far, $6.1 million has been advanced for 10 projects – four slaughter facilities and six value-added food processing operations.
5. Surveillance
Our surveillance system has received high marks from many including the USDA.
As of October 22, Alberta has tested 24,041 cattle for BSE – more than double of our 2005 target of 10,425 animals. Canada has tested more than 46,900 to date. (surpassing our target of 30,000).
In 2004, Alberta tested 11,747 animals for BSE, far surpassing its target of 2,780 animals.
6. Research:
The emergence of BSE in Canada has really highlighted need and opportunity for further research into prion and BSE-related areas.
Alberta has announced $38 million for a prion sciences research initiative. With the announcement of its $38 million prion sciences initiative, Alberta will lead the country in prion research, improving our understanding of prions and how to deal with BSE.
$7 million has been allocated to investigate commercial uses for specified risk materials. Canada generates approximately 50,000 – 65,000 tonnes of specified risk materials (SRMs) per year. The agriculture industry, working with government, has been looking at potential new uses for this material.
Last Updated: November 16, 2005
But our great government :!: let everybody else think it was a gift. P.S. You guys wouldn,t mind selling us some finnished steers, I think we have too much packing capacity now :wink: