THE BEEF, PORK & POULTRY INDUSTRY DIGITAL MAGAZINE
December 2021
MEET B.C.’S NEW WILDFIRE CREW: COWS USDA Invests $32 Million to Strengthen U.S. Food Supply Chain Maple Leaf Foods Completes Conversion of Sow Barns Governments Investing $7 Million to Improve Meat Processing Capacity European Union Hungry for Canadian Bison Barbecue is the World’s Top Taste in 2021 CFIB: Labour Shortages Not New to Agriculture meatbusinesspro.com
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MEAT BUSINESS July/August 2017 MEATBUSINESSPRO December 2021 2 CANADIAN
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Restaurant Brands Buys Firehouse Subs for $1B
Meet B.C.’s New Wildfire Crew: Cows
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USDA Invests $32 Million to Strengthen U.S. Food Supply Chain Maple Leaf Foods Completes Conversion of Sow Barns to Advanced Open Housing System
Governments Investing $7 Million to Improve Meat Processing Capacity in Ontario European Union Hungry for Canadian Bison
Barbecue is the world’s top taste in 2021
Labour Shortages Not New to Agriculture
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THE BEEF, PORK & POULTRY INDUSTRY DIGITAL MAGAZINE
December 2021 Volume 21 Number 12 PUBLISHER Ray Blumenfeld ray@meatbusiness.ca MANAGING EDITOR Scott Taylor publishing@meatbusiness.ca DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Cam Patterson cam@meatbusiness.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Stephanie Wood, Virginia Labbe, Scott Taylor, Jack Roberts CREATIVE DIRECTOR Patrick Cairns
Meat Business Pro is published 12 times a year by We Communications West Inc.
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RESTAURANT BRANDS BUYS FIREHOUSE SUBS FOR $1B Restaurant Brands International Inc. (RBI) and Firehouse Subs have announced that they have reached an agreement for RBI to acquire Firehouse for $1.0 billion in an all-cash transaction. Firehouse Subs adds a strong restaurant brand with attractive unit economics in a complementary category to RBI's existing family of iconic quick service restaurants (QSR) including Tim Hortons, Burger King, and Popeyes. Founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994 by brothers and former firefighters Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs is a brand built on decades of culture rooted in public service, creating hot and hearty subs piled high with the highest quality meats and cheeses. The brand is a strong and growing player within the $30 billion U.S. QSR sandwich category and since 2010 has increased its number of restaurants 3x to over 1,200 and its system-wide sales 4x to an expected approximately $1.1 billion for 2021. This momentum extends into 2021, with October year to date U.S. comparable sales versus 2019 of 20%. The brand benefits from a strong family of franchisees who own and operate 97% of the brand's restaurants across 46 U.S. States, Canada and Puerto Rico. José Cil, Chief Executive Officer of RBI commented, "Firehouse Subs is a special brand with a talented team, impressive culture and community focus that resonates with guests and closely aligns with our core values at RBI. We see tremendous potential to accelerate U.S. and international growth at Firehouse Subs with RBI's development expertise, global franchisee network and digital capabilities. We are excited to welcome the Firehouse Subs team to the RBI family and to continue our ambitious dream of building the world's most loved restaurant brands." Don Fox, Chief Executive Officer of Firehouse Subs said, "At Firehouse Subs we are united in our commitment to and passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service, and public safety. Joining the RBI family of brands provides an energizing opportunity to assist more communities, not only across America and Canada, but around the globe. The donations we generate for our Foundation through our restaurants means changing and saving lives, so we can't wait to accelerate our journey at home and around the world."
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FROM THE NARWHAL
MEET B.C.’S NEW WILDFIRE CREW: COWS By Stephanie Wood It’s not rocket science, rancher Jordy Thibeault said: The project began in 2019 when the province granted cows eat grass. All day, every day. But could these grass- the BC Cattlemen’s Association $500,000 to investigate munching, docile cows become community heroes in how effective targeted grazing might be in lowering the leagues of firefighters? That’s what some ranchers wildfire risk to communities. It was introduced in the and researchers are hoping. wake of the extremely destructive 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons when 12,160 square kms and 13,542 Thibeault and a handful of other ranchers in B.C.’s square kms burned, respectively. Combined, that’s as if interior are bringing their cattle into lightly wooded 80% of Vancouver Island burned over two seasons. areas on Crown land, close to people’s homes, to graze the understory and reduce dried grass that acts as fuel. After 2017 and 2018, the 2021 wildfire season is the The goal isn’t to stop wildfires, which are a natural third worst on record for area burned in B.C — with part of the landscape, especially in grasslands in the 1,600 fires burning almost 8,700 square kms of land. Okanagan and East Kootenay region. The goal is to According to Jennifer Rice, B.C. parliamentary secretary lower the risk to people’s homes and prevent the most for emergency preparedness, wildfires destroyed 343 dangerous fires. homes across the province this summer. This series of targeted grazing pilot projects, funded and organized by the province and the BC Cattlemen’s Association, is in its second year near Cranbrook, Summerland and Kelowna — areas hit hard by forest fires in past seasons.
Ecologist Amanda Miller said it’s “critical” to begin investing in mitigating fires in areas where urban areas meet wildland.
GRAZING PILOT PROJECT TARGETS GRASS FIRES BEFORE THEY BECOME CROWN FIRES Long grasses in the pilot region grow in spring; if they’re not grazed, they die off and dry up through the summer, becoming volatile fire fuel. The goal is to reduce this fuel load so that if a grass fire does take place, it will be easier to contain and less likely to travel up to treetops and become what’s known as a crown fire — which are far more destructive than grass fires as they burn hotter, destroying entire trees and move faster, jumping from treetop to treetop with the wind. Grazing is an economical way to potentially reduce the intensity of wildfires, and “it highlights the contribution
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that the agricultural industry can make to their communities,” Shawna LaRade, range officer for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, told The Narwhal. It also means more fun for the cattle, who get a bit more free reign, and for people who live nearby who can watch the herd hard at work, said Thibeault, who owns a ranch near Cranbrook with his brother. “The most fun part is seeing people’s reaction,” he said. “A lot of people don’t see [the cattle] at that intense a level, with the cattle wandering right to their back fence and stuff.” He said people have offered to give water to the cows when they are close to their homes. “The cattle will actually come running and bucking to the water, like they’re playing, and I don’t think [people] imagined they would do that,” he said. The grazing is short-term, for a few weeks in spring or summer when grass is growing. Thibeault said some people have told him they miss the cows after they leave.
VEMAG
REPLACEMENT PARTS
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Community co-operation is important, he said, because they rely on people hiking and biking through the areas to close the gates behind them to keep the cows contained. Miller works as a consultant with the BC Cattlemen’s Association on monitoring the pilot project. Two years in, she said that they are seeing no negative impacts on the land, while they did see a 35% reduction in natural fuel across the sites. Anecdotally, locals say that over the past few fire seasons, they’ve noticed a difference in fire severity in areas where grazing had taken place, though Miller said it’s too soon to tell exactly how effective the project is.
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Thibeault went to LaRade, the local range officer with the ministry of lands, pitching the idea to seek grant funding to try the collars, because fencing is expensive. In the southern interior of B.C., it costs about $20,000 per km. “I talked to her a few times about it,” he said. “It started with Jordy coming to me … consistently … saying, ‘I really want to try this project with these collars,’ ” LaRade recounted, laughing. “We saw a reduction but we don’t know how that translates into differences in fire intensity,” she said. This project will help quantify that difference. But Miller emphasized grazing is only one of the many tools to address wildfires. “It’s not a silver bullet,” she said. “It’s more like an ongoing, complementary piece that can assist with land management goals.”
Then, while on his tractor one spring day in 2019, Thibeault heard the B.C. government had announced $500,000 in funding to the BC Cattlemen’s Association to investigate targeted cattle grazing. “As soon as I heard that I shut the tractor down, phoned Shawna, and I said, ‘Here’s our chance to find some grant money to try this.’ ”
The project leads have also partnered with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Penticton Indian Band and Westbank First Nation to consult them on the project.
CANADIAN COMPANIES DEVELOPING GPSCOLLAR PROTOTYPE TO MANAGE COWS It all started when Thibeault read an article in The Farm Show Magazine about cattle collars being developed in Australia and New Zealand that act like a virtual fence. The collar sends a mild electric shock when a cow reaches a virtual perimeter, controlled through satellites and wi-fi or cell service. Similar collars are already used in Europe.
He’s subsequently been a driver behind the targeted grazing project ever since. The collars used in Europe aren’t compatible with western Canada’s cellular network and other versions aren’t being sold internationally, so Canadian companies are developing their own prototypes. Calgary-based A4 Systems is designing the collars, while Kamloops-based Two Story Robot is designing the software. Thibeault and other project participants tested some prototypes this summer, sent them back to Calgary for adjustments, and received new versions this week. In the meantime, they will continue to use fencing. Continued on page 10
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GRASSLANDS A CRITICAL ECOSYSTEM THAT REQUIRES DISTURBANCE
NAL FOCUSES ON INDUSTRY WITH NEW RVICES IN CANADA
Paradoxically, it was wildfire mitigation measures that led to an increase in fuel on the forest floor in some parts of the interior. When forests were thinned out to decrease fire risk, more sunlight reached the forest floor, allowing grasses to flourish — and leading to a more ignitable fuel load.
cases services for Canada’s growing and fast-changing
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accredited International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) site. Topics include HACCP, food safety and quality, GFSI benchmarked standards, regulations (including FSMA), food science, food packaging, food microbiology and ISO standards. Training modalities include eLearning, on-site, customized and open enrolment. Additionally, the website includes information about management system registrations for the food, automotive, information security, medical devices, Heenvironmental, said the collars will allow ease of movement, as aerospace and chemical industries, as well as Ontario cows can intensively graze an area and then for move on todrinking let thatwater area programs. recover, without using electric fencing, Visit the Canadian website at www.nsfcanada.ca to reviewmoved. the food which isnew expensive and needs to be physically safety services capabilities video, find a list of Canadian food experts, learn This will be better for the grass, and therefore better for about upcoming events and global news releases, a question YesGroup_CanadianMeatBusiness-Qtr-pg.pdf 1 submit 2014-05-16 1:20:17 PMor read the that relies on it, he said. an wildlife FAQ.
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Tree harvest “shifts the fuel load” rather than getting rid of it, LaRade explained. Grasslands need to be disturbed to stay healthy, both to reduce fire risk and to make way for new grass that provides nesting grounds for birds and homes for other critters like badgers. Elk, deer and bison are traditional grazers, but cattle can play the same role when distributed carefully on the landscape. Grasslands cover less than 1% of B.C. but provide habitat for 30% of the province’s species at risk. Not only that, but grasslands store carbon in grass roots deep underground, which remains sequestered even when a fire comes through. Grasslands can store as much as 180 tonnes of carbon per hectare, the equivalent to the annual emissions of 39 cars, stored in an area slightly smaller than a Canadian football field. Some estimate the uncultivated grasslands of Western Canada may store two to three billion tonnes of carbon.
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THE BEST DEFE A STRONG OFFE something that’s destructive,” Ron Ignace, former chief of the Skeetchestn Indian Band and an advocate for a return to cultural burning, told The Narwhal in a previous story.
PROMOTING THE HEALTH BENEFITS
“But fire and water are two sides of the same coin. Water can be equally destructive as fire, or both can be very constructive.” Red meat is often wrongly portrayed as being unhealthy. some in the media as unhealthy or not environmentally fr Miller wants people to understand fire is a natural and essential thenon-meat landscape. Vegan, fishpart and of other diets have been proposed as liver, 62 By Ronnie P. Cons
But the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has declared temperate grasslands as the world’s most endangered ecosystem. Between 75% and 90% of Canada’s grasslands have been eradicated. “In B.C. [grasslands] are not quite as appreciated as the beautiful mountains and oceans,” Miller said. “But grasslands are a really special ecosystem.” And the grasslands have always been “managed by fire” by Indigenous Peoples far before colonization. It’s part of the beauty of this environment, Miller said. When Indigenous Peoples were barred from practicing land management through cultural burns in B.C. in 1874, this led to an increase of forest fuels that cause out-of-control wildfires. Combined with disease, displacement and residential schools, Indigenous Peoples were interrupted from passing on this cultural knowledge. Lori Daniels, a professor at the University of British Columbia, previously told The Narwhal her research in the interior shows the dramatic decrease in cultural burning since the 1860s has led to more intense wildfires.
healthier alternatives. The result of this onslaught of negative meat messages has influenced to cut back “[These ecosystems] evolvedmany withfamilies managed fire, andon their meat and poultry purchases. Perceptions may reality but they evolved with disturbance as an integral and critical truth trumps misinformation. Parents and other consumers part what of ecosystem want is best forfunction,” their healthshe andsaid. that of their families. They are also aware that a lot of false information is out there Article courtesy of The Narwhalfacts - https://thenarwhal. and as such, are open to scientific that can correct their misconceptions. ca/b-c-forest-fires-cows/ This provides an opportunity for retail meat departments to implement an instore ‘Healthy Meat Facts’ nutritional campaign to set the record straight and convince their customers that meat and poultry are actually good for one’s health and that they should increase rather than decrease their purchases of it. The campaign outlined below can have a direct impact on sales:
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Start by displaying instore posters promoting the nutritional value of meat. They should be innovative, eye catching and be designed to specifically contradict any meat myths. The comments should all be literature based quoting research papers or MDs for maximum effect. Various posters should be made - each with a brief but powerful message covering one theme.
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Posters can convey the following healthy meat fact messages: 1. Let’s IRON out the Truth on Meat! “You would need to eat a massive amount of spinach to equal (the iron content) in a steak,” says Christopher Golden, an ecologist and epidemiologist at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (As quoted by nature.com in the article ‘Brain food- clever eating’.) For a woman to receive her recommended daily intake of 18 mg of iron, she would need just 300 grams of cooked bovine
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USDA INVESTS $32M TO STRENGTHEN U.S. FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced in late November the investment of $32 million in grants awarded to 167 meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to support expanded capacity and efficiency through the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program.
a state’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. These changes will allow these facilities to serve more customers in more markets.
“This investment supports local and regional meat and poultry processors as they recover from the pandemic and also work to expand capacity,” Vilsack said. “Achieving a Federal Grant of Inspection or operating under a Cooperative Interstate Shipment program allows meat and poultry processors to ship products across state lines, pursue new market opportunities, and better meet consumer and producer demand along the supply chain.” MPIRG, a new program authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, is jointly administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The program was part of USDA’s comprehensive funding package to help small and very small processing facilities weather the pandemic, compete in the marketplace, and get the support they need to reach more customers. With this grant funding, meat and poultry processing businesses can cover the costs for improvements such as expanding existing facilities, modernizing processing equipment and meeting packaging, labeling, and food safety requirements needed to achieve a Federal Grant of Inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Poultry Products Inspection Act, or to operate under 12
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In June 2021, USDA announced the availability of $55.2 million in MPIRG funding, accepting applications for a competitive grant award process which resulted in today’s awards. Remaining funds will be made available through a forthcoming Request for Applications. To learn more about MPIRG and see the list of awards, visit www.ams.usda.gov/mpirg. meatbusinesspro.com
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MAPLE LEAF FOODS COMPLETES CONVERSION OF SOW BARNS TO ADVANCED OPEN HOUSING SYSTEM The World Class Animal Care Program Makes Maple Leaf a North American Leader in Producing Pigs Without Gestation Crates Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has announced that by the end of 2021, it will complete transitioning all breeding sows in company-owned barns to its unique, industry-leading Advanced Open Sow Housing System. This worldclass system provides optimized, open housing during pregnancy that allows sows to roam, rest, feed and socialize freely. This shift in sow housing makes Maple Leaf Foods a North American leader in producing pigs without gestation crates and represents another key milestone in the company’s commitment to better care through advanced animal welfare.
ENDING THE USE OF GESTATION CRATE
A 2013 survey conducted by Humane Society International–Canada revealed that 84% of Canadians supported elimination of gestation crates. As part of the company’s commitment to animal care, Maple Leaf Foods’ animal care team studied housing and feeding systems around the world and combined the best practices it observed into the company’s unique Advanced Open Sow Housing. Maple Leaf Foods’ system differs from other open sow housing systems by not just opening or removing gestation crates, but rather by creating housing areas with various spaces that support sows’ desires to choose when to play, to socialize, to eat and to rest. The unique open system also helps Maple Leaf Foods Team Members to observe the sows more readily as they move about, monitor their health more accurately and provide optimal care.
In 2014, Canada’s pork industry committed to ending gestation crate use by 2024. As one of North America’s leading protein producers, Maple Leaf Foods signed this agreement but set a more ambitious timeline to convert all its owned Maple Leaf Agri-Farms sow barns to a new Advanced Open Sow Housing System by the end of 2021. Maple Leaf Foods’ company-owned barns produce approximately 40% of the pigs that the company uses annually to produce its branded pork products. Gestation crates are individual stalls in which pregnant pigs are confined during the 78-day gestation period to ensure their safety, but concerns have been raised about their impact on welfare and natural behaviour. 14
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DF: I don’t think being on the island has really impacted us negatively one way or the other. We’ve traveled a lot, met a lot of other farmers and livestock producers in other parts of Canada, and we all seem to have the same issues and same concerns. CMB: I understand that your farm was the first in Atlantic Canada to be involved in the TESA program. DF: Yes, I think we were the first farm east of Ontario as far as I understand. I’m not sure why the eastern associations wouldn’t have previously nominated anybody because there are many farms here on PEI doing every bit as much as we are as to attain a high level of sustainability. Anyway, we were very surprised when the PEI Cattleman’s Association nominated our farm. CMB: And then you were attending the Canadian Beef conference in Calgary The Maple Leaf Foods Advanced Open Sow and you won.
Housing System offers additional comforts, including:DF: Yeah! That was a very nice moment
for us. But I don’t like to use the word win actually. However, being • Electronic sow feeders recognized for our commitment was a real honour. If you want to know • Cool water misters hot summer the truth, it wasduring a prettythe humbling months experience. As I said to CBC when they phoned me after the conference, I was just floored, • Bright LED lightingreally couldn’t believe it. CMB: So now that you have been recognized, do you think that will • Windows for natural light draw more attention and garner more nominations out of Atlantic Canada • Night lights for those sows who choose to going forward?
feed at night.
DF: Absolutely. We’ve gotten a lot good press highlighting theexperience island “Ensuringofthe animals in our care cattle industry. I’m positive you’ll see the best possible environment at Maple more farms in our neck of the woods Leaf Foods, is the right thing to do and nominated next year. And I have to give an essential part of our sustainability the Canadian Cattleman’s Association commitment,” said Michael McCain, recognition for choosing a farm from PresidentPrince and CEO. “Our progress Edward Island. We are in small players in the national beef industry eliminating gestation crates in our sow barns and I think was a real credit to theiras across Canada is a itsignificant milestone organization recognize us. Theya more we proudly lead thetoindustry towards treated all the nominees royally and it compassionate approach to animal welfare.” was a real class act. It was a wonderful experience.
To learn more about Maple Leaf Foods' commitment to animal care, visit: https:// www.mapleleaffoods.com/sustainability/ better-care/commitment-to-animal-care/ meatbusiness.ca
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GOVERNMENTS INVESTING $7 MILLION TO IMPROVE MEAT PROCESSING CAPACITY The governments of Canada and Ontario are committing up to $7 million to rapidly increase processing capacity in meat processing plants across the province. This initiative builds on the $7.2 million invested last year through the first intake, and is part of the governments’ continued investments to support the sector’s growth and strengthen the food supply chain. Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), the second intake of the Meat Processors Capacity Improvement Initiative will provide up to $150,000 per project for handling and processing equipment to increase efficiency, productivity and food safety. It will also cover consulting and engineering costs associated with planning future projects. The intake opened for applications on November 19, 2021. “The livestock processing supply chain is dedicated to innovating and improving their capacity to produce safe, high-quality food,” said the Honourable MarieClaude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. "These investments will further position the sector to compete at home and in global markets through new productivity-boosting technologies."
“Ontario livestock processors have worked tirelessly since the COVID-19 pandemic began to ensure Ontarians had access to fresh, local, and high-quality meat products for their families,” said Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “While the sector continues to face extraordinary processing capacity challenges, our government is stepping up with this important investment to help Ontario meat processors and abattoirs continue producing the safe and healthy food millions of Ontarians rely on each and every day.” The Meat Processors Capacity Improvement Initiative will provide funding for eligible free-standing meat plants and abattoirs to implement measures that will improve efficiency and productivity through short-term investments in equipment. Eligible project costs can be incurred as of November 12, 2021. Eligible projects must be completed with equipment delivered by March 21, 2022. Recipients will have until June 30, 2022 to have their equipment installed.
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“Ontario Pork welcomes government support to strengthen processing capacity in the province,” said John de Bruyn, Chair of Ontario Pork. “Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed that the lack of processing is a bottleneck for our industry and for local food supply. We appreciate today’s announcement as another step in facilitating the growth of processing capacity here in Ontario.”
NEW SURREY SLAUGHTERHOUSE ‘WOULD OPEN DOOR’ TO QUICK FACTS NEW BEEF MARKETS
Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed over $100 million in costshare support to more than 5,000 projects through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership) to help eligible Ontario farmers, processors, businesses and sector organizations innovate and grow.
“The pandemic has highlighted some of the vulnerabilities in our sector, including the need to increase processing capacity,” says Carol Goriup, President of Meat & Poultry Ontario. “This funding demonstrates our governments’ commitment to providing solutions that will help move the industry forward. We thank the federal and provincial • The Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion commitment Proposed 30,000-square-foot beef abattoir in Cloverdale would be B.C.’s largest such facility governments for their continued partnership and by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial By Amy Reid, Peace Arch News this crucial funding that will help our sector invest governments that supports Canada's agri-food and agriso as to not emit odours. And while thereais$2 an operational federally licensed beef processing facility is in the works products in solutions thatA will benefit both processors and sectors. This includes billion commitment 6,000-square-foot abattoir on the property now, it’s can consumers.” in Surrey, BC. that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent only process a limited number of cattle. “There’s a new building coming forward, a new abattoir, I provincially/territorially for programs that are designed Chris Les is general manager of Meadow Valley Meats, think that’s the French pronunciation of slaughterhouse,” “The lack of sufficient processing capacity in Ontario and by the provinces and territories. the delivered company behind project. Meadow Valley Meats is said Councillor Mike Starchuk. “So Surrey will have a seeking a Canadian Food Inspection Agency license for newerfactor facility with capacity so people will have has been a limiting to aa better healthy competitive the proposed abattoir, to become a federally registered the ability to not have to ship an animal to Alberta to have market for the province’s beef sector,”have said Rob Lipsett, • There are 480 provincially licensedThis and 230 federally meat establishment and expand the operation. would it processed. The applications gone through the allow the meat products to be transported beyond B.C.’s Agricultural andof Food Sustainability Advisory Committee.” licensed President of Beef Farmers Ontario. “The first intake facilities (abattoirs and free-standing meat boundaries. The facility is proposed on a 25-acre property within the of the Meat Processing Capacity Improvement Initiative plants) in Ontario. The Ontario agri-food sector supports “Our focus is on trying to bring a more efficient, sustainable Agricultural Land Reserve at 5175 184th St. The planned was fully subscribed, which speaks to its critical value to more than 720,000 jobs in Ontario and contributes local product to the market, realizing we can do that now 30,000-square foot abattoir in Cloverdale would process up the livestock processing We are grateful for the nearly $47 billion each year to thepeople province’s economy. in a very limited sense,” said Les. “I caution when to 100 head sector. of cattle per day. talking to them and they say, ‘What a big plant, that’s going continued investment levels government Accordingby to aboth city report, thatof would make it largerto than to go allow you to go mainstream.’ Well, yes, if you look any other which processing B.C..help But it position would still be support this initiative, infacility turn,inwill • The Meat Processor Capacity Improvement Initiative in the context of B.C., but this is still a very niche plant small by industry standards, compared to the largest meat our sector to better meet the demands for Ontario beef will be delivered byindustry the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, and we’ll serve a niche for producers and for the processing plants in Alberta that process 3,000 heads of market. It’s certainly not going to be a monstrosity of a plant at home and abroad.” Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA.) cattle per day. The proposed facility would be fully enclosed and designed
but it’ll be a big upgrade from the site currently.”
Continued on page 32
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EUROPEAN UNION HUNGRY FOR CANADIAN BISON Just returning from Anuga, the leading global trade fair for the food and beverage industry held in Cologne, Germany, Kelly Long, CEO and co-owner of Noble Premium Bison, says the future looks bright for Canadian bison. Held from October 9-13, Aunga hosted some 4,600 exhibitors from 98 nations, and 70,000 visitors. During the last few years, Long has become a familiar face at the international event. Long’s presence continues to make a strong impression on the global stage and has resulted in strong relationships with clients in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, the U.K. and Spain to name a few.
"When it came to finding a Canadian supplier of bison meat, I looked no further than Noble Premium Bison. My customers were specifically asking for Noble, and after working with Kelly for the past five years, I can say that as a premium supplier, they have exceeded my expectations in quality, consistency and customer service," says Ole J from Germany. Noble Premium Bison, one of the largest bison production companies in North America, raises its herds on Canadian regenerated grasslands to support species sustainability and the environment. Noble holds Safe Quality Food certifications for Canada and the EU and is part of the Global Food Safety Initiative. Barbecue Barbecue has emerged as the world’s top trending flavor for innovative, authentic-tasting snacks, meats and meat alternatives, vegetables, sauces, marinades, and seasonings.
Meat cuts popular in the European Union range from steaks to roasts for fine dining, to burgers and ribs for casual service. Like Canadians, EU consumers are looking to bison as a protein source that is low-fat and nutrient rich. 18
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BARBECUE IS THE WORLD’S TOP TASTE IN 2021 Kerry, the world’s leading taste and nutrition company, has reviewed extensive research and examined global trends in emerging flavors in an effort to identify the top global taste trend in 2021. The result: Barbecue—in all the many variations that can arise when cooking with fire—is electrifying consumer appetites and elevating expectations for new and interesting flavors. This includes in snacks, meats, plant-based meat alternatives, vegetables, sauces, dips, marinades, and seasonings.
A total of 26 barbecue, smoke and grill tastes were identified across Kerry’s Taste Charts in Europe, APMEA, North America and the Latin American region. A dozen of these were considered “emerging”, while another five made the “up and coming” category.
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Meanwhile, Innova reports that one in every seven new products developed around the world is barbecuefocused, while in Europe 43% of new food and beverage launches in 2021 featured barbecue as a component. Asia has the most potential, with new product launches up almost one-third (to 21%) in the last five years. In addition, more than 33% of all sauces and seasoning products launched during 2016–20 call out barbecue on the front of package, along with 30% of new snack products. Barbecue is now ranked number three on the list of top snack flavors globally, and fifth in meat flavors (“smoked” is number one).
Due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic, global backyard cooking is at an all-time high. Furthermore, since every global region has extensive variations and traditions in barbecue, many of these are now migrating between and cross-pollinating markets and regions. In short, consumers all over the world are seeking out new taste variations on the world’s oldest cooking method—fire. Kerry’s Soumya Nair, Global Director, Consumer
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Kerry has identified 39 main global variations and traditions from around the world—ranging from Memphis and Texas in North America to kebab in the Middle East, yakitori, char sui and tandoori in Asia, khorovats from Armenia, to jerk in Latin America. Barbecue has also begun to enter the mash-up trend, with curry, sweet chili and beer-inspired barbecue flavors emerging globally.
Research and Insights, commented on barbecue’s status: “Barbecue might just be the world’s new favorite taste, and the global-leading barbecue trend our analysts are seeing right now shows that consumers everywhere are looking for new and ethnic-inspired specific tastes—such as Korean, Texas or Brazilian—in various meat and snack products. Consumers love the balance of sweetness, salt, spices and smoke that seems to enhance virtually any application, and we regularly witness new barbecue-flavored items showing up on menus and in stores in foods such as snacks, meats and meat alternatives.”
Nair adds: “To keep pace with consumer desires, brands must now move faster than evolving cravings for complex and culturally nuanced barbecue tastes. It’s vital in this shifting environment that new barbecue flavor innovations meet consumer expectations for the ‘real’ flavor of foods cooked over flames. Although barbecue is described differently everywhere, fire, the world’s oldest cooking method, is at its core—seared, so to speak, in our global shared DNA.”
For more information on Kerry Red Arrow, visit www. kerry.com
“Our research is confirming that today’s global consumers don’t just crave ethnic-inspired dishes, snacks and flavorings, but also that they’re demanding authentic experiences and tastes that are true to their regions of origin. Moreover, they’re actively looking for these interesting new snacks, sauces and meat products in the marketplace, and in a variety of applications. Authentic barbecue-flavor innovation, delivered quickly, remains key to winning in this fast-changing marketplace.” meatbusinesspro.com
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LABOUR SHORTAGES NOT NEW TO AGRICULTURE ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE IS KEY TO BUSINESS RECOVERY AND THE CANADIAN ECONOMY You don’t have to go too far in your news feed nowadays to see reports and stories about the shortage of labour. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has been hearing about this issue daily in our interactions with our 95,000 small business members across the country. Whether it’s through our monthly surveys, through our business helpline or our annual in-person visits with business owners, it’s clear this issue is top of mind. According to CFIB’s new research, the pandemic has dug new trenches in Canada’s labour shortage, with more than half of small businesses (55 per cent) reporting they cannot get all the staff they need for current operations or to meet new demand. Another 16 per cent were able to face the challenge, but at a significant additional cost (e.g., raising wages). This is not news to many in the agriculture sector, as the problem has existed for quite some time. While agriculture weathered the pandemic better than other sectors, it’s clear the labour challenges have not abated. Recent Statistics Canada data shows that jobs in the agriculture, forest, fisheries, and hunting sectors have a higher job vacancy rate than the national average. Other studies estimate that there could be 123,000 job vacancies in the agri-food sector by 2029.
recruiting retired workers. It is worth noting that while only 27 per cent of respondents facing labour shortages utilized TFWs, most of these businesses report a near 100 per cent success rate. The low utilization to high success rate ratio suggests that TFWs are a big part of the solution to the job vacancy challenges. In addition, 43 per cent of businesses increased automation as a strategy to address the labour shortage, with 91 per cent saying this was a successful strategy for their business. This is an important point to make; agriculture has become a highly sophisticated, technology-dependent industry and job vacancies aren’t only in manual labour. There is a need for specialized skills in computer technology, mechanics, crop and livestock technology and advisory services just to name a few. Finally, just over half of the respondents (55 per cent) recruited retired workers with a 60 per cent success rate.
In CFIB’s latest labour shortage report, businesses in agriculture and natural resources adapted primarily by hiring temporary foreign workers (TFWs), increasing automation on their farm or agri-business, and 22
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These are just a few solutions but having the right workers in place or tools to address the labour shortages in Canada needs to be a priority for Canada’s economic recovery. Governments need to support this recovery by adopting policies that increase productivity, connect job seekers with employers and don’t put the cost of hiring out of reach.
So, what are the solutions? There are no silver bullet solutions, and it will take a concerted effort by government and industry to address the labour challenges in agriculture. CFIB is urging governments to tackle this urgent issue for businesses by: • Improving and streamlining the temporary foreign worker and immigration processes to get more workers that small businesses need into Canada faster. While some progress has been made on this front with the Agri-Food Pilot Program which provides a pathway to permanent residence for experienced, non-seasonal workers in specific industries, more must be done. • Stimulating automation through programs or tax credits. • Creating a tax incentive for hiring underrepresented workers (such as seniors, youth, etc.) • Introduce a payroll tax holiday for all new hires (e.g., EI, CPP/QPP, WCB premiums, Employer Health Tax, etc.) • Introduce a training tax credit that recognizes onthe-job training • Improving the education system to better prepare students for the job market • Implementing training programs for specific groups such as young people who were not in education, employment, or training (NEETs), racialized minorities or people with disabilities. • Encouraging Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programs in universities and colleges (such as co‑op programs and internships) by including and catering to small business needs. meatbusinesspro.com
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK! To learn more about our new report, Labour shortages are back with a vengeance, please visit cfib.ca. Are you concerned about labour shortages in your business? Sign CFIB’s petition to governments at cfib. ca/labourshortages. Share your feedback with CFIB on the labour shortage challenges your business is experiencing or get one-on-one expert advice about recruiting and retaining workers by contacting our Business Help
Virginia Labbie is the Senior Policy Analyst, Agri-business for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). CFIB is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 95,000 members (6,000 agribusiness members) across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice
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