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VICTORIA – A new federal plan to address the crisis facing the nation’s cattle industry is a good framework, but needs additional focus, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries John van Dongen said today.
“I agree that expansion of slaughter capacity is critical and the federal package includes this objective. But to be viable, existing and new plants need additional support so they can meet – in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable – the more-stringent waste handling standards arising from the BSE crisis,” van Dongen said.
“It needs to be understood that every new federal regulation, such as the regulations requiring the removal of ‘specified risk materials’ from food and animal feed, will have further financial consequences on meat processors.
“I am carefully considering the federal statement of intent and examining options for a British Columbia approach under the national framework. The province is also assessing options to support producers of other ruminant animals affected by the border closure.”
The minister said that British Columbia agrees with the vision of a strong, viable industry that increases slaughter and processing capacity to respond to diverse domestic demand and to increase access to more foreign markets.
The province also agrees with the four key elements of the strategy: continuing efforts to reopen the U.S. border, taking steps in increasing ruminant slaughter in Canada, measures to sustain the cattle industry until capacity comes online and expanding access to markets for both livestock and beef products.
The federal government’s statement of intent gives provinces flexibility in how they participate in national programs, and to develop tailored strategies to meet province-specific needs. Van Dongen said he is discussing a made-in-BC approach within the context of the national strategy with representatives of all levels of the provincial industry.
British Columbia has so far committed $10.5 million under BSE recovery programming to help the cattle industry deal with hardships resulting from BSE and the closure of the U.S. border to live animals.
B.C. farmers and ranchers are also eligible for help with income drops through the Canadian Agriculture Income Stabilization program; B.C. committed $16.8 million in new funding last year to address losses in the sector. B.C. continues to work with Canada to simplify the program so cash can get to producers as quickly as possible.
The cattle industry is a major economic contributor in British Columbia, generating more than $310 million annually in farm cash receipts.
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