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Ranchers.net

Alberta unveils sweeping livestock sector plan
Monday, June 9, 2008, 4:47 PM

by Peter Shinn

The Canadian province of Alberta last week unveiled a new long-term strategy for its beleaguered livestock industry. The plan comes with a warning that livestock producers in the province must either change or go out of business.

The plan includes immediately sending checks worth $150 million Canadian dollars to livestock producers in the province and creation of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, which will be funded to the tune of $56 million Canadian dollars.

And the Albertan government plans to send another $150 million Canadian directly to livestock growers in the province, but only if they are fully compliant with Alberta's mandatory age and source verification system, also known as ALIS, by January 1st of 2009.

Alberta's Ag Minister George Groeneveld in a press conference this past Thursday told reporters livestock producers in Alberta who aren't willing to participate in that system should give serious thought to exiting the business. The dramatic new plan for Alberta's livestock sector, officially known as the Alberta Livestock and Meat Strategy, comes as the industry there faces chronic labor shortages, restricted access to international markets and under-utilized packing plant capacity, among other issues.

"Alberta’s livestock industry is facing significant challenges and needs a major and fundamental change,” Groeneveld said in a statement Thursday. "Albertans want a competitive and sustainable livestock industry, but this will not happen until we start doing things radically different," he continued. "The industry needs to regain its competitive advantage and although these changes will not be easy, they are necessary."
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