Council News
Council Meetings
Council met on March 21 and 23, 2006 in Ottawa, approving the 2006-07 Levies Order for the Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Marketing Agency. Council also continued its consideration of the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency's 2006 Quota Regulation however on March 24 the proposed Quota Regulation was withdrawn by CEMA.
Council met again on April 7, 2006 by teleconference, approving the chicken allocation for period A-72. Council also considered the complaint filed by Chai Kosher Poultry Ltd. against Chicken Farmers of Canada.
Council Members Attend Annual General Meetings
The month of March was busy for the industry with a number of provincial commodity boards and the 5 national agencies Council works with holding their annual general meetings. Council members attended many of these meetings to deliver messages from the Council.
Council Meets with Beef Cattle Agency
On March 27, 2006 the Council members and staff met with the Executive officers of the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency to discuss the Agency's progress in implementing the domestic levy collection system.
New Staff
On April 3, 2006 Isabelle Lafrance joined the National Farm Products Council. Isabelle works in Council’s Corporate Services Unit replacing Carole Hotte who left Council to join National Defence Canada.
Update
Council would also like to let you know that on March 15, 2006 Chantal Lafontaine our Communications Coordinator gave birth to a bouncing baby boy by the name of Nickolas Philipe. Congratulations to Chantal and the proud Papa Dan.
Agency News
Chicken Farmers of Canada
Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) held its Annual General Meeting in Ottawa on March 22, 2006. Chairman David Fuller reported that "2005 was a tough year and 2006 will be much tougher". Key priorities of the Agency for 2006 include creating an improved national allocation setting process, working on the On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program (OFFSAP), enhancing the Emergency Management Protocols to prevent and/or mitigate animal disease outbreaks, and ensuring a positive outcome in the upcoming WTO trade negotiations.
Chairs of the Market Development, Food Safety, Animal Care, Poultry Research Council and Finance Committees reported on their respective 2005 activities.
Council Chairperson, Mrs. Cynthia Currie in her address to the Agency, focussed on challenges faced by the poultry industry including the WTO trade negotiations, avian influenza and the need for industry to communicate effectively with consumers, Brazilian competition and further concentration of the Canadian retail industry. Mrs. Currie highlighted Council's role, its achievements in the last year and the need to customize Council's Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) processes to meet CFC's specific needs. She concluded with the guiding philosophy behind the Council’s 2006-2009 Strategic Plan which is to help the industry in any way that it can.
Leger Marketing presented the fifth wave of consumer-based avian influenza surveys conducted in March 2006. AI remains firmly on consumers' radar screen. The avian influenza coordinator for the poultry group, Bob Burden, reported on a national template for provincial emergency plans including how public/private responsibilities should be shared on compensation, bio-security, surveillance, external and internal communications, emergency planning and disposal in case of an AI outbreak.
CFC made a presentation on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) proposed AI Prevalence Survey. The Board of Directors agreed in principle that the AI Prevalence Survey be conducted at the farm level, based on a satisfactory resolution of outstanding issues concerning the compensation program, operational issues, impact on volunteer producers, cost associated with the surveillance program and the development of an appropriate communication plan to assuage public concern.
The Board of Directors, except one representative from the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council (CPEPC), agreed on the A-73 to A-78 base allocation recommendation proposed by the Allocation Technical Working Group. On a request by CPEPC, the Board conditionally agreed to provide an extra month to processors to export their Market Development allocation for periods A-69 and A-70.
The CFC Executive remains unchanged.
Congratulations to the re-elected Executive
Chairman - David Fuller (Nova Scotia)
1st Vice-Chair - Martin Dufresne (Quebec)
2nd Vice-Chair - Urs Kressibucher (Ontario)
Exec. Member - Eugene Zagrodney (Sask)
Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency
The Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency (CTMA) held its Annual General Meeting in Ottawa on March 23, 2006. In his remarks, Chairman Brent Montgomery acknowledged a strong domestic market for turkey in 2005 with increased domestic consumption. However, he highlighted the challenge to ensure that the industry meets emerging market opportunities with appropriate supplies.
Like previous years, 2005 was a challenging year both domestically and internationally. The Agency is continuing with its efforts to make progress on allocation issues. The industry is working cooperatively with other supply managed organizations on AI issues, the WTO trade negotiations, as well as ensuring that all newly appointed Government officials are apprised of issues facing the industry. The Health of Animals Act, the development of bio-security protocols and practices are important issues requiring the Agency's attention.
The Vice-Chair, Mark Davies, reported on the Ministerial roundtable discussion about the common negotiating position to take at the WTO negotiations in Geneva in April 2006. Issues surrounding sensitive products, tariff lines, market access, and the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) administration remain to be addressed.
The turkey market review presented by CTMA staff shows an increase in the 2005 production of 7% over the previous year; a higher domestic disappearance compared to the previous year (the first two months of 2006 were higher than last year), and an increase in imports in 2005 of 50% over the year before. An update on research, food safety/regulatory and avian influenza activities was presented.
In response to the CPEPC's request to ban outdoor poultry production, a motion giving CTMA support in principle for moving bird production indoors pending a proper definition of what “indoor” production means was passed. The CPEPC President and the CEO thanked the Agency for its support.
The CTMA Executive remains unchanged.
Congratulations to the re-elected Executive
Chair - Brent Montgomery (Quebec)
Vice Chair - Mark Davies (Nova Scotia)
Executive Member - Wayne Kroeker (Manitoba)
Canadian Egg Marketing Agency
At the CEMA's Annual General Meeting on March 22, 2006, Tim Lambert, Executive Director, highlighted the importance of collaboration for the success of the egg industry. Mr. Lambert illustrated the importance of collaboration in the case of marketing, animal care, and the National Egg Supply.
The Chairman, Laurent Souligny talked about the key challenge facing the Agency; improving its efficiency in a variety of programs and policies. Mr. Souligny mentioned the work done with the other poultry agencies, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and provincial government officials to establish a pre-emptive cull protocol for AI outbreaks. He also raised the current round of trade negotiations at the WTO, and encouraged all members of the board as well as the audience, to lobby new members of Parliament on this issue.
The Agency reported that 2005 was a difficult year due to a higher volume of industrial products and a lower breaker price than the previous year. The increase in CEMA's levy of 2 cents per dozen was required to cover the loss in the administration fund of the industrial product program. The year-end fund balance declined by approximately $10 million
(Source: CEMA budget).
At its open business meeting of March 22nd and March 23rd, 2006 CEMA staff presented to the Board an update on the National Egg Team, strategic planning and the processor contract negotiations. Mr. Bob Burden, the AI Coordinator hired by the four marketing agencies and the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council updated the Board on avian influenza issues, the discussion with CFIA on revising the compensation available to shell egg producers, as well as an issue regarding the broiler hatching egg producers under the Health of Animals Act.
After the meeting, the Agency held elections for various positions on the Board and the representation on the Agency's committees.
Congratulations to the Executive Members
Chairman - Laurent Souligny (Ontario)
1st Vice-Chair - Peter Clarke (Nova Scotia)
2nd Vice-Chair - Maurice Richard (Quebec)
Executive Member - Fred Krahn (British Columbia)
Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Marketing Agency
CBHEMA held its Annual General Meeting on March 22, 2006. Mr. Jacques Gourde, the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture attended the meeting.
The Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Producer Association's scholarship recipient, Ms. Holly Pizzey presented her research paper ‘Effect of Dietary Lutein on Immune Response of Breeders and Broiler Chicks'. Based on her research, Ms. Pizzey concluded that lutein may prove to be the effective way to improve the immune status of broilers; however, as this is a new area of research, more work is required before the results can be applied in the field.
At its open business meeting of March 22nd, the Advisory Committee provided the Board with its' estimates of final chicken production for 2006. The Committee also put forward a recommendation for chicken production to be used in the initial 2007 allocation.
Prior to the meeting, the Agency held the elections for various positions on the Board, and the representation on the Agency's committees.
Congratulations to the Re-elected Executive
Chair – Ed de Jong (British Columbia)
Vice-Chair – Gyslain Loyer (Quebec)
Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency
The Beef Agency held its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday March 28, 2006. At the meeting the Agency discussed the progress made to date on the implementation of their domestic levy collection system. Currently, four provinces have signed the necessary agreements with the Agency to collect the national and provincial levies on an inter-provincial and intra-provincial basis. The remaining provinces are voluntarily collecting the levy while making progress in completing the legal agreements and/or, legislative changes necessary to allow inter-provincial levy collection.
During the meeting the Agency held elections. There was no change in the elected positions.
Congratulations to the re-elected members
Marlin Beever - Chair (Manitoba)
Kevin Boon - Vice Chair (Alberta)
Kevin Antworth - Second Vice-chair (New Brunswick)
Travis Toews - Finance Chair (Alberta)
Other News
USDA 2006 Agricultural Outlook Forum
The USDA 82nd annual Agricultural Outlook Forum held on February 16-17, 2006 in Arlington, focussed on the theme "Prospering in Rural America,". The forum underscored the importance and the correlation between farm policy, trade, entrepreneurship, and innovation with the U.S. rural and agricultural economy. Over 1,500 participants from around the world attended, including producers, economists, representatives of agribusiness, government officials and other interested parties.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns; U.S. Trade Representative Robert Portman; Secretary for Rural Development Thomas C. Dorr, industry analysts, business leaders, farmers and ranchers, and agricultural experts were among the130 speakers coming from the U.S. , Australia, Canada, China, Europe and South America. 35 sessions were organized into themes: Rural America, Globalization, Conservation, Science, Markets, and the U.S. outlook for commodities.
In his message, Secretary Mike Johanns presented the profile of today's U.S. rural economy, and stressed the need to create economic opportunities to support the rural quality of life.
He discussed farm policy and the U.S. Administration's commitment to complete the Doha Round of the WTO trade negotiations this year.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Portman expressed the importance of the Doha round for U.S. agriculture. According to the USDA statistics, 27% of US farm income is directly related to exports and $62 billion worth of agricultural products were sold last year overseas. As well, 63% of the benefit of the Doha round will come from opening up trade in agriculture and 93% of that benefit will come from increased market access, according to the World Bank statistics.
During the two days, speakers explored the challenges of rural America, the impact of modern communications and the projected outlook for the next generation of U.S. farmers. Experts discussed the opportunity for bio-energy, bio-products, and initiatives to strengthen the rural economy of the future. Other sessions addressed major issues facing agriculture, especially in the areas of conservation, science, globalization and markets.
Speeches and presentations are available on-line: www.usda.gov/oce/forum/2006_speeches.htm
Did you know?
Did you know the one about BBQ steak?
The word steak is derived from an old Saxon word, steik, meaning meat on a stick. The Saxons and Jutes, who lived in what is now Denmark, brought along their skills as cattlemen when they conquered Great Britain. They favored beef cooked on a pointed stick over a campfire.
Upcoming meetings
2006:
| May |
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| May 5 |
B.C. Broiler Hatching Egg Commission |
Abbotsford |
| May 11-12 |
National Farm Products Council |
Ottawa |
| May 26 |
Nfld & Labrador Chicken and Egg |
St. John's |
| May 25-26 |
NAASA Meeting |
Fredericton |
| May 27-30 |
Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors |
St. John's |
| May 31- June 1 |
CEMA Meeting |
Ottawa |
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