Action NewsCanadian Cattlemen’s Association

• CCA,redmeatindustryurgesGovernmentofCanadatoresumeFTAtalkswithSouthKorea

• SpotlightonEUquotaallocations

• CCAappearsbeforetheSenateStandingCommitteeonAgricultureandForestry

• Cattlemen’sYoungLeadersFallForumwraps

• Applicationsnowacceptedfor2012Cattlemen’sYoungLeadersmentorshipprogram

• Careeropportunities

InlightoftheU.S.CongressratifyingaFreeTradeAgreement(FTA)withSouthKoreaonOctober12,2011,theCanadianPorkCouncil,CanadaPorkInternational,theCanadianCattlemen’sAssociation(CCA)andtheCanadianMeatCouncilhavejoinedforcestourgetheGovernmentofCanadatoresumetheFTAtalkswithSouthKorea.

TheCanada-SouthKoreatalkshavebeenstalledsince2008.GiventhedevelopmentwiththeU.S.-KoreaFTA,theCanadianporkandbeefindustriesareveryconcernedthatpostponingtheFTAtalksanyfurtherwillseriouslyaffectthecompetitivenessoftheirsandotherCanadiansectorsexportingtoSouthKorea.WatchformoreinformationinupcomingissuesofActionNews.

CCA, red meat industry urges Government of Canada to resume FTA talks with South Korea

In This Issue...

Spotlight on EU quota allocations

DuringarecentagriculturaltrademissiontoGermany,AgricultureandAgri-FoodMinisterGerryRitzmetwithGermanAgricultureMinisterIlseAigner.Amongtheissuesdiscussed,MinisterRitzraisedtheneedtoimprovetheEUmethodofadministeringthenewbeefimportquota,whichhascreateduntenablemarketaccessproblemsforCanadianbeefexporterstoEurope.Lastmonth,CanadaGoldBeefInc.tooktheunfortunatedecisiontosuspenditsbeefprocessingoperationsfortheEUmarketuntilthequotaallocationproblemisresolved.

TheCCAraisedtheissueoftheEUquotaallocationproblemswithMinisterRitzandheimmediatelyrecognizedthatifitisnotresolvedquickly,furtherCanadianbeefproductionforEuropecouldbeinjeopardy.MinisterRitzagreedthiswasanimportantissueforthemeetingwithhisGermancounterpartandwethankhimforpursuingit.

TheresolutiontheCCAwouldliketoseeisimplementationofaprocesstopreventtheEUfromallocatinganyquotatoanEUcompanythatisnotalegitimateimporter.Ideallytherewouldbeaprocesstoensurethelion’sshareofthequotaisreservedforallocationtocompaniesthathavemadethebulkofbeefimportsinthepast.Afterthese

Volume 5 Issue 12 | October 24, 2011

Action NewsCanadian Cattlemen’s Association

Action NewsCanadian Cattlemen’s Association

Lastweek,ReynoldBergen,sciencedirectorfortheBeefCattleResearchCouncil(BCRC)andRyderLee,theCCA’sManagerofFederalProvincialRelations,appearedaswitnessesbeforetheSenateStandingCommitteeonAgricultureandForestryinOttawa.TheCCAwasinvitedtospeaktoissuesaroundinnovationinagricultureonbehalfofCanada’scattleindustry.BergenandLeediscussedtheimportanceofinnovationtothegrowthandcompetitivenessoftheCanadiancattleindustryandtheneedformoregovernmentdollarstosupportresearchandtechnologytransfer.BergenandLeealsohandledanumberofwiderangingquestionsfromtheSenateCommitteemembers.

Aspartoftheirpresentation,theCCAprovidedtheSenateCommitteewithkeypointsthatsummarizewhatisneededtoensurethatresearchcontinuestosupportandenhancethegrowthandcompetitivenessofCanada’sbeefandcattleindustry.Thesepointsinclude:

• Longterm,predictableresearchfundingcommitmentsfrombothgovernmentandindustry;

• Addressingthecurrentfragmentationofresearchfundingandreportingpaperworkresultingfromthis;

• Continuedcutstoresearchfundingunderthefederalgovernmentareofsignificantconcerninlightofthecontinuedneedtoaddressissuesofapublicgoodnatureinareassuchasfoodsafetyandquality,environmentandanimalhealthandwelfare.

• Ongoingreductionsandfragmentationoffundingisnothelpingtoattractorretaintalentedresearchers.Capacityiscriticaltoensuringthatscientificexpertiseandexperienceisavailabletorespondpromptly,effectivelyandstrategicallytoissuesandopportunitiesthatarise.

CCA appears before the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

traditionalimportershaveobtainedtheirallocations,aresidualquantitycouldbeallocatedtoothercompaniesthatgenuinelyintendtoenterthebeefimportmarket.ThiswouldbetterensurethattheEUquotaisadministeredinamannerthatdoesnotencouragenon-importing“speculator”companiestobuyandsellquotaallocations.

Beyondtheimportanceofresolvingthisissueinthepresentcircumstances,italsohighlightshowtheEuropeanCommissionusesquotaadministrationasatradebarrierandunderscoreswhytheCCAisseekingquota-freeaccessinthenegotiationsforCanada-EUComprehensiveEconomicandTradeAgreement(CETA).TheCETAisthemostimportantnewmarketaccessopportunityforCanadianbeefproducersandexportersinageneration.Europeisahugemarketforbeefyettheexistingquota,ofwhichCanadacurrentlyhasonlyashare,isasmalldropinthebucketrelativetotheimportpotential.MinisterRitznotedtheimportanceoftheCETAnegotiationsanditsbenefitforCanada’sfarmerswhileinGermany.

The Steaks for Soldiers event at CFB Valcartier was a huge success. Sergeant Daniel Therrien reported that his team really appreciated the steaks and the attention from the campaign. Left: Corporal Eric Genest and Sergeant Daniel Therrien, along with Corporal Guy Leclerc and “unidentified” unload the steaks. Photo credit: John Masswohl.

Volume 5 Issue 12 | October 24, 2011

Action NewsCanadian Cattlemen’s Association

“TheBeefScienceClusterdevelopedbytheBCRCandAgricultureandAgri-FoodCanadaisanimportantfirststepinovercomingthesechallenges.WeareoptimisticthatongoingeffortstoaligntheresearchprioritiesandfundingwithadditionalbeefresearchfunderswillhelptosuccessfullyachieveresearchoutcomesthatwillfurtherimprovethecompetitivenessandsustainabilityofCanada’sbeefindustry,”Bergensaidfollowingthehearing.

ThehearingwasheldwithregardtotheSenateStandingCommitteeonAgricultureandForestry’sorderofreferencedealingwithresearchandinnovationinagriculture.ThehearingwillenabletheStandingCommitteetoexamineandreportonresearchandinnovationeffortsintheagriculturalsector.TheCCAappreciatedtheopportunitytopresentitsperspectiveonthevaluablerolethatCanada’sbeefandcattleresearchcommunitycanplayinaddressingtheopportunitiesandchallengesfacingCanada’sbeefindustry.

TheCattlemen’sYoungLeaders(CYL)developmentprogramhelditsFallForumOctober14-15inCalgary,bringingtogetheritsmentorsandmenteesfromacrossCanada.Thetwo-dayeventwasfilledwithexcellentopportunitiesforparticipantstolearnaboutvariousaspectsofCanada’sbeefindustryandnetworkwithindustryleaders.

Cargill,afoundationpartneroftheCYLprogram,openeditsdoorstotheCargillMeatSolutionsHighRiverplant,whichprocesses4,500animalsperday.CYLparticipantsspentthemorningtouringthefacilityandobservingtheprocessofharvestingbeef.TheafternoonwasspentwithCargillmanagers,includingScottEntz,generalmanageroftheHighRiverplantandJarrodGillig,Beef,GeneralManagerCargillValueAddedMeatsCanada,participatingindiscussionsandexercisesoncommunicationandleadershipdevelopment.Participantsalsolearnedabouttheimpactanimalhandlingpracticeshaveatthepackingplant,aswellasthedifferencethattheVerifiedBeefProductionTMprogramhasmadeinpreservingthequalityandquantityofmeatharvestedfrombeefcarcasses.

“AsoneofthefoundingsponsorsfortheCYLprogram,CargillcontinuestoseethisprogramasakeytodevelopingfutureleadersintheCanadianbeefindustry,”saidGillig.“Inadditiontoseeingthenextstepinthebeefvaluechain,akeycomponentfrombothdayswastheopportunitytoparticipateinsomecandidconversationswithindustryleaderswhilealsogettingtheinsightstoleveragestrategydevelopmentandexecutiontoolsusedthroughoutthebeefvaluechain,”headded.

CYLprogramparticipantsalsotouredCalgary’sAdFarmoffice.AdFarmisanagriculturalmarketingandcommunicationsagencywithsixlocationsacrossNorthAmerica.KimMcConnell,AdFarm’sfounderandPresidentandCEOuntil2007,spokeabouthisunconventionalapproachtocreatingeffectivemessagingthatensurestheadvancementofagriculture.McConnellalsosharedtipsonhowtheyoungleaderscanusecommunicationsstrategiestobesuccessful.

Lastly,thegroupvisitedtheCCAofficeandheardpresentationsfromCCAstaffontheglobalbeefoutlook,usingCanfaxreportsasamarketingtoolandunderstandingresearchresultsfromscientificstudiesonbeefcattle.AmandaBogenHallawellfromCowsandFishspokeabouttheimportanceofbeefproducerssharingtheirstoriesoflandstewardship.LeonaDargis,2011CanadianNuffieldScholar,sharedherlifeexperiencesanddiscussedopportunitiesforthenextgenerationoffarmers.

Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Fall Forum wraps

L-R: CYL mentees Becky Fenton and Allison Porter, Cargill’s Jarrod Gillig and Scott Entz, and CYL mentor Dr. Allan Preston during a communications and leadership exercise at Cargill’s High River facility. Photo credit: Tracy Sakatch

Volume 5 Issue 12 | October 24, 2011

Action NewsCanadian Cattlemen’s Association

CCA Action NewsStaff Contributors:JohnMasswohl,ReynoldBergenWritten, edited and compiled by:GinaTeelandTracySakatch

Formoreinformation,contact:CCACommunicationsatfeedback@cattle.caorvisitourwebsiteatwww.cattle.ca

Head office:Ste.310,67158thStreetNE,Calgary,ABT2E7H7Phone:403.275.8558Fax:403.274.5686

Ottawa office:1207,350SparksStreet,Ottawa,ONK1R7S8Phone:613.233.9375Fax:613.233.2860

CYLparticipantVirgilLowesaystheForumhasmadehimawareoftheopportunitiesthatareopentohimwithintheindustry.“Thisprogramhasopenedthedoorsaswellasintroducedustothosepeoplewhocanhelpusthroughthem,”hesaid.“VisitingCargill,andhearingspeakersfromthroughouttheindustrymakesmeexcitedforthefuture.”

Applications now accepted for 2012 Cattlemen’s Young Leaders mentorship program

Career opportunities

TheCattlemen’sYoungLeaders(CYL)developmentprogramisnowacceptingapplicationsfor2012mentorshipopportunitiesacrossCanada.TheCYLprogramisopentobeefenthusiastsbetweentheagesof18and35.ThementorshipopportunitieswillbegininApril2012andrunforaperiodofeight-months.ApplicationswillbeaccepteduntilFebruary25,2012.Toapplyonline,visitwww.cattlemensyoungleaders.com.

AnationalyouthinitiativeoftheCCA,theCYLprogramprovidesindustry-specifictrainingandmentorshipopportunitiestoyoungproducers.CYLparticipantswillhavetheopportunitytoexploreapotentialcareerchoiceorinvolvementwithaprovincial/nationalproducerorganization,whilegainingtheexpertiseandbusinessacumennecessarytosustainthecattleindustryintothefuture.

TheCCAcurrentlyhastwocareeropportunitiesavailable:BeefExtensionCoordinatorandExecutiveAssistant(termposition).Pleasevisithttp://www.cattle.ca/career-opportunitiesformoreinformation.

Volume 5 Issue 12 | October 24, 2011