THE BEEF, PORK & POULTRY INDUSTRY DIGITAL MAGAZINE
November 2023
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS FACING IMPACTS OF DROUGHT AND WILDFIRES Chris McNutt Crowned Ontario's Finest Butcher in the 10th Anniversary Competition Ranchers Brace for Long, Lean Winter after Droughts and Soaring Feed Costs Meat Institute Selects Class of 2024 Emerging Leaders Food Fight: Canada-UK Trade Talks Stall Over Key Agri-exports 25,000 Jobs by 2025 Untangling the Knots in Canadian Agriculture
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FCC Contributes $1.5 million to 86 Projects Across Canada
Financial Support for Farmers and Ranchers Facing Impacts of Drought and Wildfires Chris McNutt Crowned Ontario's Finest Butcher in the 10th Anniversary Competition Ranchers Brace for Long, Lean Winter after Droughts and Soaring Feed Costs
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Meat Institute Selects Class of 2024 Emerging Leaders
Food Fight: Canada-UK Trade Talks Stall Over Key Agriexports
25,000 Jobs by 2025
Untangling the Knots in Canadian Agriculture
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THE BEEF, PORK & POULTRY INDUSTRY DIGITAL MAGAZINE
November 2023 Volume 24 Number 11 PUBLISHER Ray Blumenfeld ray@meatbusinesspro.ca MANAGING EDITOR Scott Taylor publishing@meatbusinesspro.ca
FCC CONTRIBUTES $1.5 MILLION TO 86 PROJECTS ACROSS CANADA
DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Cam Patterson cam@meatbusinesspro.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jack Roberts, Amanda Stephenson, Danielle Keen, Martha Roberts, Bradlee Whidden CREATIVE DIRECTOR Patrick Cairns
Meat Business Pro is published 12 times a year by We Communications West Inc.
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Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has announced that it is giving $1.5 million through its FCC AgriSpirit Fund to 86 community groups across Canada to support rural capital projects. “It’s amazing to realize the range of projects and organizations the FCC AgriSpirit Fund has been able to support over the last 20 years and the impact it has created,” said Shannon Weatherall, FCC senior vice-president of Prairie operations. “We continue that legacy through great investments in our communities today.” This year, the FCC AgriSpirit Fund awarded between $5,000 and $25,000 to various community improvement initiatives that enrich the lives of residents in cities, towns or Indigenous communities with fewer than 150,000 people. Over the past 20 years, the FCC AgriSpirit Fund has supported 1,615 projects, an investment of $21 million. The next application period opens in the spring of 2024. Registered charities, non-profit groups, municipalities and First Nations, Métis or Inuit governments/ communities interested in funding can visit www.fccagrispiritfund.ca for eligibility requirements, to apply online and view past projects. FCC is Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, dedicated to the industry that feeds the world. FCC employees are committed to the long-standing success of those who produce and process Canadian food by providing flexible financing, AgExpert business management software, information and knowledge. FCC provides a complement of expertise and services designed to support the complex and evolving needs of food businesses. For more information, visit fcc.ca. FCC is Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, dedicated to the industry that feeds the world. FCC employees are committed to the long-standing success of those who produce and process Canadian food by providing flexible financing, AgExpert business management software, information and knowledge. FCC provides a complement of expertise and services designed to support the complex and evolving needs of food businesses. For more information, visit fcc.ca.
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FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS FACING IMPACTS OF DROUGHT AND WILDFIRES The Government of Canada recently announced it has allocated $219 million through the AgriRecovery Framework to support farmers and ranchers in Western Canada who are dealing with extraordinary costs due to drought conditions and wildfires.
Canadian farmers and ranchers in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan have faced a number of challenges this growing season, including drought and wildfires. This funding will help them recover and ensure they have the tools they need to continue to be resilient in the face of natural disasters and extreme weather events.
“I’ve had the opportunity to meet with farmers and producers from across Western Canada and they’ve shared just how challenging this growing season has been for their operations,” stated Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “With a federal investment of $219 million through AgriRecovery, we’re helping them recover so they can continue to feed Canada, and the world.” Pam Alexis, B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food, said, “This summer was an extremely challenging time for B.C.’s farmers and ranchers as we dealt with unprecedented drought and wildfire. We’ve been listening to and working with farmers and ranchers, and providing programs and support that meet their unique needs. AgriRecovery is another way we are taking action to protect the livelihoods of our province’s food producers, helping them return to their land, while supporting local food security and our local economies.”
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The Government of Canada has already supported requests from British Columbia and Alberta for late participation in AgriStability, as well as requests from British Columbia and Saskatchewan to increase the interim payment rate under AgriStability from 50% to 75%. In August 2023, Minister MacAulay also highlighted federal support for British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan with a one-year adjustment to the AgriInsurance program to make more drought-damaged crops available for feed. This increased the amount of crops available for livestock producers in a time of need.
Producers can also apply for interim payments through AgriStability to help them cope with immediate financial challenges. Producers have access to a comprehensive suite of Business Risk Management (BRM) programs— including AgriStability, AgriInsurance, and AgriInvest—that are the first line of defence when facing disasters. Continued on page 8
VEMAG
REPLACEMENT PARTS
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QUICK FACTS • The funding will be administered using the 60-40 costshared basis, as outlined under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. • Producers have access to a suite of Business Risk Management (BRM) programs to help them manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farm and are beyond their capacity to manage.
“The livestock sector is a significant contributor to our provincial economy. It is important we are there for producers through the current challenges. The program will provide some financial relief to livestock producers, helping them to maintain the breeding herd by providing funding to address extraordinary costs caused by the drought,” stated David Marit, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister.
• AgriRecovery is a federal-provincial-territorial disaster relief framework intended to work together with the core BRM programs to help agricultural producers recover from natural disasters. AgriRecovery helps with the extraordinary costs associated with recovering from disaster events. • AgriStability is one of the BRM programs under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. It protects Canadian producers against large declines in farming income for reasons such as production loss, increased costs, and market conditions. An interim payment under AgriStability is based on estimates of a participant’s program year production margin and reference margin. To receive an interim payment, the participant’s estimated production margins must decline by more than 30% of their estimated reference margin. Participants can apply for an interim payment to access program funds early.
In addition to this support, on August 21, 2023, the Government of Canada announced designations in regions of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba for Livestock Tax Deferral for 2023 due to extreme weather conditions. The Livestock Tax Deferral provision allows livestock producers who are forced to sell all or part of their breeding herd due to drought or excess moisture to defer a portion of their income from sales until the following tax year.
• During a crisis such as this, farmers facing the stress and uncertainty of providing for their families may suffer serious mental health impacts. Those needing help are encouraged to reach out for support and can contact The Do More Ag Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focusing on mental health in agriculture across Canada. • On October 17, 2023, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) announced a new FCC Replacement Heifer Program to help Canadian cattle producers in maintaining or expanding their herds. The program consists of a loan with a maximum two-year period of interest only and a maximum life of seven years. For this loan, variable interest rates will be capped at prime plus 1.5%, and loan processing fees will be waived. Beef producers are encouraged to contact their FCC relationship manager or their FCC livestock Alliance partner for details. Producers can do this by contacting their local office or the FCC customer service centre at 1-888-332-3301.
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youtu.be/fL7O-7A4X7Q?si=Ko5j9pDQAGlQqf0K Ontario’s Finest Butcher Competition, a decade-long celebration Ontario’s Finest Butcher Competition, a decade-long of the craft of butchery and the outstanding skills of celebration of the craft of butchery and the outstanding Ontario's artisans, has reached a remarkable milestone skills of Ontario's artisans, has reached a remarkable as it proudly marks its 10th anniversary. This year's milestone as it proudly marks its 10th anniversary. This competition was nothing short of extraordinary, featuring year's competition was nothing short of extraordinary, top butchers from across Ontario who displayed their featuring top butchers from across Ontario who displayed exceptional talents and creativity. Among the competitors, their exceptional talents and creativity. Among the Chris McNutt of Halenda's Fine Foods emerged victorious, competitors, Chris McNutt of Halenda's Fine Foods earning the prestigious title of Ontario's Finest Butcher. Global publicearning healththe organization showcases services for Canada’s growing and fast-changing emerged victorious, prestigious title of Ontario's Butcher. McNutt, hailing from Oshawa Ontario, is a seasoned Meat foodFinest industry Manager at Halenda's, boasting 15 years of butchery NSF International in Canada recently launched a new accredited International Association for Continuing McNutt, hailing from Oshawa Ontario, is a seasoned Meat experience. He kick-started his career by completing a website - www.nsfcanada.ca - to give Canada’s growing Education and Training (IACET) site. Topics include HACCP, Manager at Halenda's, boasting 15 years of butchery Retail Meat Cutting apprenticeship program and has since and complex food and beverage industry easy access food safety and quality, GFSI benchmarked standards, experience. He kick-started his career by completing a become a distinguished veteran of the Ontario's Finest to the global public health organization’s expertise and regulations (including FSMA), food science, food packaging, Retail Meat Cutting apprenticeship program and has since Butcher Competition. services in Canada. The website combines information food microbiology and ISO standards. Training modalities become a distinguished veteran the Ontario's on the depth, experience and of capabilities of theFinest NSF include eLearning, on-site, customized and open enrolment. Butcher Competition. Richard Halenda, the CEO of Halenda's Fine Foods, shares International Canadian office with access to NSF Additionally, the website includes information about International’s global services dedicated to food safety hismanagement thoughts onsystem Chris'sregistrations victory: for the food, automotive, and quality. Richard Halenda, the CEO of Halenda's Fine Foods, shares environmental, information security, medical devices, his thoughts on Chris's victory: "We at Halenda’s Fine Foods are all extremely proud Evolving regulations across countries and increasing aerospace and chemical industries, as well as for Ontario ofdrinking Chris onwater his recent win of becoming Ontario’s Finest complexities associated with a globalized food supply programs. present challenges forall NSF International clients in Butcher. "Wenetwork at Halenda’s Fine Foods are extremely proud He Canadian is a mentor for the company in hard work Visit the new website at www.nsfcanada.ca to the review the food Canada andrecent around theofworld. The new Canadian website and safety services capabilities of Canadian food experts, of Chris on his win becoming Ontario’s Finest determination he video, puts find intoa list our trade every day." learn about upcoming events and global news releases, a question offersHe expertise and services to help companies navigate YesGroup_CanadianMeatBusiness-Qtr-pg.pdf 1 submit 2014-05-16 1:20:17 PMor read Butcher. is a mentor for the company in the hard work an FAQ. challenges, and auditing, and these determination heincluding puts intocertification our trade every day." The competition was fierce, where three talented finalists,
NSF INTERNATIONAL FOCUSES ON CANADIAN FOOD INDUSTRY WITH NEW WEBSITE FOR SERVICES IN CANADA
consulting, technical services, training and education, food and label compliance, packaging, and product and The competition was fierce, where three talented finalists, process development.
which included Dave Vandervelde of VG Meats and Dylan NSF International’s provides information Meidema of TownsendCanadian Butchers,website were challenged to on the following services: transform 3 surprise proteins—boneless chuck roll, leg of Certification auditing: Third-party food safety Season audits lamb, and a whole& rabbit—into a dazzling Harvest andwithin certifications, whichItare integral components of display 45 minutes. was Chris McNutt's seasoned supplier selection and regulatory compliance. Accurate skills, combined with his unwavering dedication, and audits are the first step toward successful verification creative expertise that set him apart, securing his position of a company’s food safety system, providing improved as this year's champion. brand protection and customer confidence. Certifications and audits are available for animal and produce in the Franco Naccarato, the Executive Directorand for management Meat & agriculture industry, GFSI certification Poultry Ontario (MPO), expressed his enthusiasm for the system registration.
competition's 10th anniversary, stating,
Consulting: A full-service team approach providing technical resources, expertise and insight for a wide range "Over decade, Ontario’s Finest Butcher of the foodpast safety and quality services. NSF International Competition has become a symbol of excellence provides finished product inspection testing forin food, the industry. has non-food been a privilege to rapid witness the and packagingIt and testing for analysis dedication and talentthe of brand, our local butchers over the years. insight to protect technical support services from on-site temporary or permanent technical staffing Congratulations Chris for taking home the win." placements, and various types of consulting.
In addition to donning official champion’s Technical services:the A one-stop solution for jacket, food product McNutt took home prize package at to over $3000 compliance and aformulation, fromvalued concept finished product, includingBig food and label packaging, including a Minimax Green Egg™compliance, Ultimate Kit, eno La product process development, anda Plancha Grill,and a Chilly Moose Chilly Ice and Box shelf-life cooler and evaluation. $250product cash prize from YesGroup. Training and education: Training for the global food beverage industry acrosscan the be supply chainat ashttps:// an This and year’s competition footage watched meatbusiness.ca meatbusinesspro.com
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CHRIS MCNUTT CROWNED ONTARIO'S FINEST BUTCHER IN THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY COMPETITION Ontario’s Finest Butcher Competition, a decade-long celebration of the craft of butchery and the outstanding skills of Ontario's artisans, has reached a remarkable milestone as it proudly marks its 10th anniversary. This year's competition was nothing short of extraordinary, featuring top butchers from across Ontario who displayed their exceptional talents and creativity. Among the competitors, Chris McNutt of Halenda's Fine Foods emerged victorious, earning the prestigious title of Ontario's Finest Butcher. McNutt, hailing from Oshawa Ontario, is a seasoned Meat Manager at Halenda's, boasting 15 years of butchery experience. He kick-started his career by completing a Retail Meat Cutting apprenticeship program and has since become a distinguished veteran of the Ontario's Finest Butcher Competition. Richard Halenda, the CEO of Halenda's Fine Foods, shares his thoughts on Chris's victory: "We at Halenda’s Fine Foods are all extremely proud of Chris on his recent win of becoming Ontario’s Finest Butcher. He is a mentor for the company in the hard work and determination he puts into our trade every day." The competition was fierce, where three talented finalists, which included Dave Vandervelde of VG Meats and Dylan Meidema of Townsend Butchers, were challenged to transform 3 surprise proteins—boneless chuck roll, leg of lamb, and a whole rabbit—into a dazzling Harvest Season display within 45 minutes. It was Chris McNutt's seasoned skills, combined with his unwavering dedication, and creative expertise that set him apart, securing his position as this year's champion. Franco Naccarato, the Executive Director for Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO), expressed his enthusiasm for the
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competition's 10th anniversary, stating, "Over the past decade, Ontario’s Finest Butcher Competition has become a symbol of excellence in the industry. It has been a privilege to witness the dedication and talent of our local butchers over the years. Congratulations Chris for taking home the win." In addition to donning the official champion’s jacket, McNutt took home a prize package valued at over $3000 including a Minimax Big Green Egg™ Ultimate Kit, eno La Plancha Grill, a Chilly Moose Chilly Ice Box cooler and a $250 cash prize from YesGroup. This year’s competition footage can be watched at https:// youtu.be/fL7O-7A4X7Q?si=Ko5j9pDQAGlQqf0K It could be a long, lean winter in cattle country as drought-ravaged western Canadian ranchers struggle to secure feed to get their livestock through the cold months Near the town of Eastend in the southwest corner of Saskatchewan, Jocelyn Wasko and her husband Travis have spent much of the summer and fall preparing.
ABOUT MPO Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) is the representative voice of Ontario’s meat industry. Our members are independent businesses proud to serve the communities they live and work in. The association is comprised of meat and poultry processors, wholesalers, and retailers; industry suppliers; and not-for profit organizations that support MPO’s objectives. Ontario’s meat and poultry sector employs 25% of Ontario’s food and beverage processing industry — the single largest manufacturing employer in Ontario — and generates $11.2 billion of the province’s $45 billion food and beverage processing industry revenue.
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RANCHERS BRACE FOR LONG, LEAN WINTER AFTER DROUGHTS AND SOARING FEED COSTS By Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian Press
It could be a long, lean winter in cattle country as droughtravaged western Canadian ranchers struggle to secure feed to get their livestock through the cold months
Near the town of Eastend in the southwest corner of Saskatchewan, Jocelyn Wasko and her husband Travis have spent much of the summer and fall preparing.
“We really had no option when we finished out the year last year — all the dugouts were empty and there was no grass,” Wasko said in a recent interview. “And it’s really expensive to truck feed into this area. The freight is just killing us.”
They’ve worked hard to grow their own forage crops, even taking a few thousand acres of durum wheat that didn’t grow well enough to sell and cutting and baling it for feed instead. Still, after five consecutive years of very little rain on the property that Travis’ family has been ranching for more than a century, the parched land can only produce so much. That’s why the couple made the tough decision last year to downsize their herd, culling close to 20% of their cows by sending them to slaughter at weaning time. 12
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Across large swathes of the country, extreme heat and dry conditions have taken a toll on agricultural production this year. As of Sept. 30, according to Agriculture Canada’s most recent update, 72% of the country and 69% of Canada’s agricultural landscape was considered either “abnormally dry” or in “moderate to exceptional drought.”
In these regions — home to the bulk of Canada’s cattle production — the problem isn’t this year’s drought alone, but the fact that ranchers have now faced years of backto-back cumulative droughts. But drought’s effects aren’t felt only in the summer. For cattle producers, winter is when the toll can be most severe, as animals’ caloric needs are higher and grazing land is frozen or snow-covered. “Certainly, the impacts are carrying on for people that utilize the resources that were depleted during the summer,” said Trevor Hadwen, a Regina-based agroclimate specialist with Agriculture Canada.
In fact, Hadwen said there are some areas that have officially been in drought for more than 30 of the last 36 months. As a result, locally grown livestock feed is in short supply and imported feed costs have gone through the roof. At the same time, the amount of moisture in the soil continues to dwindle each year, and many of the reservoirs and rivers are running extremely low.
“It’s resulted in poor forage and water supply issues for the livestock industry.” From northern B.C. to central Ontario, farmers have had to cope with dry conditions this year. But southern Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan in particular have been what Hadwen calls “hot spots.”
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“But that’s going to depend on our ability to survive.” Because many producers over the past several years have had to cull their herds or exit the industry entirely, there are simply less cattle on Canadian ranches in 2023 and less beef being produced. According to Farm Credit Canada, year-to-date Canadian beef production in 2023 is down 6% compared to last year. The supply shortage has driven up cattle prices, which are forecasted to average a whopping 33% higher year-overyear in 2023 and 50% higher than the five-year average. Brodie Haugan, chair of the Alberta Beef Producers organization, said the industry could be about to enter a sustained period of higher prices and strong profitability. But he said that’s only a benefit for those ranchers who have still been able to keep their heads above water. Sheila Hillmer, who ranches south of Lethbridge, Alta., near the U.S. border, said “ridiculous high temperatures” this summer meant the grass in her pastures basically stopped growing in June. And while her land does have some irrigation infrastructure, the taps had to be shut off mid-July due to concerns over water shortages. “It’s just been a real challenge, you know, to try to keep cattle through this,” she said,adding she believes many ranches only stay afloat because their owners supplement their operations by taking an off-farm job. “We’re blessed because our kids are the fourth generation on our place, and we’ve always hoped we’ll see five or six more to come,” Hillmer added.
Haugan said he was pleased to see the federal and Alberta governments announce last week they will partner on a $165 million drought livestock relief program for this year to help get producers through this winter. But he added ranchers need longer-term supports to shield their operations against future droughts. “We’re hoping to have an honest conversation around what a true risk mitigation program, that actually supports the cattle industry in a timely and confident manner, looks like,” he said. “Let’s hope we can get it implemented for next year so that it builds that confidence back into our industry. Because we’re going to see this again. We’re going to have bad years again.”
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MEAT INSTITUTE SELECTS CLASS OF 2024 EMERGING LEADER The Meat Institute selected 20 participants for its 2024 Emerging Leaders Program, which promotes and develops future leaders in the meat and poultry industry. “The Emerging Leader Class of 2024 is a well-rounded, talented group of individuals serving our member companies in a variety of roles from human resources to food safety to operations and more,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “This is a valuable program for the industry’s next generation but also for our membership at large. Past participants have formed strong relationships with leading industry experts while also expanding their understanding of other aspects of meat processing beyond their field of expertise.” This unique program – sponsored by SEE – will provide Emerging Leaders with networking events, an industry mentor to guide them on their leadership journey, exclusive leadership programming and access to Meat Institute board meetings for better understanding of broad industry initiatives and priorities. Participants also gain knowledge at both the industry level and operational level of goals for continuous improvement as determined by the Protein PACT. Throughout the length of the program, participants will receive complimentary registration for the Protein PACT conferences, Meat Institute annual conferences and Meat Institute webinars. Participants were nominated by their coworkers and selected based on their commitment to continuous improvement in the industry, their leadership potential, and the individual initiative they’ve demonstrated.
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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.
THE CLASS OF 2024 INCLUDES:
DF: Yes, I think we were the first farm east of Ontario as far as I understand. • Alex Brandt, Group I’m notCertified sure why the eastern wouldn’tFoods have previously • Amberassociations Larson, American Group nominated anybody because there are • Caitlin many Hamstra, Foodsevery farmsBirchwood here on PEI doing bit as much as we are as to attain a • Chloe Carson, Smithfield Foods high level of sustainability. Anyway, • Chris Johnson, Kentsurprised Qualitywhen Foods we were very the PEI Cattleman’s Association nominated our • Daniel Guadian, Caviness Beef Packers farm.
• Elizabeth Walls, Fulton Market Group CMB: And then you were attending the Canadian Beef conference • Grace Houston, Triumph Foodsin Calgary and you won.
• Jeffrey Saxon, FPL Foods, LLC
DF: Yeah! That was a very nice moment
• John Marihugh, Producers, for us. ButUnited I don’t like to use the Inc.
win HACCP actually. Assurance However, being • Joshuaword Cassar, Services recognized for our commitment was
• Molly Miller, TysonIfFoods a real honour. you want to know the truth, it was a pretty humbling • Neil Corbin, IQ Foods
experience. As I said to CBC when they
• Nick Lahm, Greate Plains Beef LLC I was phoned me after the conference, just floored, really couldn’t believe it. • Oliver Hoad, APPI Energy CMB: So now that you have been
• Pernesia Nellum, OSI LLC recognized, do you think that will
draw more • Raven Kropf, Teysattention USA and garner more nominations out of Atlantic Canada
• Rob Ames, goingCorbion forward?
• Sid Cunningham, Seaboard Triumph DF: Absolutely. We’ve gotten a lot of good press highlighting the island cattle industry. I’m positive you’ll see • Travis Arp, USA moreJBS farms in our neck of the woods nominated next year. And I have to give the Canadian Cattleman’s Association ABOUT THE MEAT INSTITUTE recognition for choosing a farm from The MeatPrince Institute is theIsland. United oldest Edward WeStates’ are small and largest trade association representing players in the national beef industry packers and of abeef, pork, to lamb, andprocessors I think it was real credit their veal, turkey, and processed meat products. organization to recognize us. They Meat Institute includeroyally over 350 treatedmembers all the nominees andmeat it packing and processing companies, the majority was a real class act. It was a wonderful of which have fewer than 100 employees, experience.
Foods
and account for over 95 percent of the United States’ output of meat and 70 percent of turkey production.
https://www.yesgroiup.ca meatbusiness.ca meatbusinesspro.com
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FOOD FIGHT: CANADA-UK TRADE TALKS STALL OVER KEY AGRI-EXPORTS By Danielle Keen Food standards and market access issues have driven a wedge Food Foodstandards and market access issues have driven a wedge between the UK and Canada amid ongoing trade deal negotiations. The UK’s 2021 rollover agreement with Canada following its formal departure from the EU is due to expire at the end of the year, and attempts to reach a permanent agreement are mired in misgivings over the trade of cheese and beef. UK cheese exporters have petitioned the Department of Business and Trade to ensure they have continued access to the Canadian market post-2023, while a campaign from a coalition of cattle farmers to block the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) gained traction earlier this year.
CHEESED OFF Coombe Castle International, a UK cheese exporter, wrote to business and trade secretary Kemi Badenoch re, pushing for a two-year extension of the current deal, including or the so-called ‘cheese letters’, which facilitated tariff-free trade for cheese. Writing on behalf of 13 businesses, the company claimed action was needed to safeguard its business and the industry. Darren Larvin, managing director of Coombe Castle, said “every extra day the government takes to negotiate an extension or permanent outcome is a day during which we can’t plan and are thus at the risk of losing contracts with our Canadian partners”. Speaking last month, sales director Ben Hutchins said that the continuation of 40-year trading partnerships “will not be possible” if the agreement expires from January without an extension in the rollover deal or an updated agreement.
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BIG BEEF
STALEMATES
UK food standards currently prohibit the import of Canadian beef due to the use of synthetic growth hormones in cattle farming.
Amid ongoing diplomatic tensions, trade talks with India also came to a halt in September, leading to frustration from business leaders who claim the move ”doesn’t make sense”.
By contrast, the UK’s admission to the CPTPP has enabled UK farmers access to the Canadian market. The UK exported 4,414 tonnes of beef to Canada in 2022 worth an estimated C$33.2m. This imbalance has led a coalition of Canadian farming groups – the Canadian Cattle Association, Canadian Meat Council and National Cattle Feeders’ Association – to launch a campaign to prevent the UK’s formal accession to the bloc next year, claiming the agreement “does not meet a fair standard of competition for Canadian farmers and producers”.
Speaking to a Toronto media outlet, policy and government relations lead at the Chamber of Canadian Commerce, Matthew Holmes said he anticipated the stalled deal would mean more bad news for agribusinesses. “Unfortunately, businesses are going to feel this for some time, whether that's disruptions to trade or to travel. Where they could have easily resolved an issue, it might become harder to do so for the foreseeable future.”
Sam Lowe, partner at consultancy Flint Global, wasn’t optimistic that a mutually beneficial deal could be reached and said, “Canadians don’t want to import any foreign cheese; Brits don’t want to change their food standards to facilitate the import of Canadian beef.”
The Institute of Export & International Trade was established in 1935 to support UK businesses in growing their international markets and trade. The Institute is the leading association of exporters and importers. For more information, visit https://www.export.org.uk/
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25,000 JOBS BY 2025 By Martha Roberts, Economics Editor, Farm Credit Canada
Food and Beverage Ontario Launches Recruitment Campaign for the Food and Beverage Processing Industries Food and Beverage Ontario, a not-for-profit dedicated to advancing Ontario's food and beverage processing industry, has launched a robust marketing campaign for its flagship workforce development initiative, CareersNOW!. The campaign seeks to connect students and jobseekers with employers as a solution to the growing labour shortage in the sector.
CareersNOW! has pushed into high gear launching a province-wide, integrated campaign including a new website, digital advertising, email marketing, out-ofhome advertising, and strategic partnerships. "Our government is on a mission to help people gain the skills they need to take the next steps in indemand careers," said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. "I am proud to invest in programs like CareersNOW!, which gives a much-needed boost to our critical food and beverage industry and help young people earn more take-home pay."
The CareersNOW! program was launched in 2020 in response to the workforce shortage and ongoing challenges stemming from the COVID-19 global pandemic. The initiative is funded by Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development through the Skills Development Fund. The program, now in its third year, has made significant progress, including engaging with more than 3,000 jobseekers and students, working with 400+ employers, and creating more than 600 jobs.
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The CareersNOW! campaign is rooted in comprehensive research which identified key motivational themes and markets for priority audiences and jobseekers. The campaign's creative and messaging centers around "From Passion to Profession" highlighting the motivation for jobseekers to find work that allows for upward mobility, growth and mentorship. The new campaign features a new website offering a streamlined, single-sign-on platform with the ability to connect jobseekers to more than 4,000 Ontario employers. The website features videos and guides, access to skills training and job fairs, as well as job postings for positions ranging from entry-level to supervisors and quality assurance and sales.
"The food and beverage processing industry is Ontario's largest manufacturing sector by employment and a huge contributor to the provincial and national economy. With CareersNOW! we are giving jobseekers the opportunity to explore and start an exciting job in our industry and we are giving employers the workforce supports necessary to grow their business and meet the demands of Ontario consumers," said Michael Burrows, CEO of Maple Lodge Farms and Chair of Food and Beverage Ontario.
"CareersNOW! is the most important workforce development program we have for Ontario food and beverage processors. For larger businesses, the resources are augmenting current recruitment and retention strategies and for smaller businesses, CareersNOW! has become the de facto recruiter and HR department," said Mandeep Hans, Director of Sales, Hans Dairy. "And it is not just the resources that are making it easier to connect with qualified jobseekers and young talent, CareersNOW! is showing that Ontario businesses are top employers that offer many types of jobs and career paths. This industry has something for everyone."
"CareersNOW! is on a great trajectory thanks to our valuable project partners, Advisory Council, and team of experts," said Chris Conway, CEO of Food and Beverage Ontario. "The new province-wide marketing campaign embodies the value proposition that this industry can offer to students and jobseekers. Additionally, we've made it easier than ever to get involved through the optimizations we made this year.
For more information on CareersNOW!, visit www. careersnow.ca For more information on Food and Beverage Ontario, visit www.foodandbeverageontario.ca
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UNTANGLING THE KNOTS IN CANADIAN AGRICULTURE Cut the red tape Last month, Canadian families sat down together at dinner tables across the country for Thanksgiving dinner. Our need for food is one of the few essential human characteristics that, regardless of one’s personal beliefs, unites us all. As a result, any rational individual would expect governments of all political stripes to make sure the agricultural industry thrives. But according to farmers, governments are doing the opposite. According to a recent Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) survey, 88 per cent of agri-businesses are concerned about the future of Canadian agriculture due to red tape burden.
On top of increasing costs for businesses, red tape also prevents agri-business owners from accessing much-needed staff in a timely manner. Since before the pandemic, the agriculture sector has been plagued with significant challenges stemming from labour shortages. Many have been left with little alternative but to rely on foreign workers through initiatives such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which allows businesses to hire foreign workers temporarily to fill job vacancies amid ongoing labour shortages in the agriculture industry. In fact, according to CFIB data, 78% of small agri-business owners said their operations would be impossible to run without temporary foreign employees.
Red tape refers to excessive rules and regulations that hinder achieving a regulation’s intended goal. While some regulation is of course needed to ensure public safety, health and safety standards, and promote fair competition, red tape is superfluous, redundant and most of all: unnecessarily damaging. These hurdles take energy, cause stress, and cost business owners time and money. According to the CFIB’s 2021 red tape report, a small business with less than five employees spends roughly $2,000 per employee complying with red tape alone. 22
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"We cannot get enough labour to fill our positions. It only gets harder and harder each year to access foreign workers. Every year more and more regulations.” – Fruit, Vegetables, and Horticultural Specialties, B.C. A report from RBC found the agriculture sector will be short 24,000 workers by 2033. Compliance costs from red tape will make filling these positions even more difficult for so many Canadian farmers.
However, instead of being an accessible solution to address labour shortages, the TFWP has been mired in red tape. Businesses must undergo a long, arduous, and expensive process that involves filling out extensive forms and proving that their efforts to hire domestic workers have been unsuccessful. The process can last months and involve multiple inspections and audits. These businesses are already lacking available hands. Business owners should not have to spend multiple hours and thousands of dollars to get permission to hire foreign workers. Lengthy and costly processes take farmers’ time away from doing their job of feeding Canadians.
The federal government must prioritize streamlining the immigration system and eliminating red tape in programs like TFWP. Like with so many other issues, governments need to get out of the way and reduce the red tape burden for farmers. The health of our agriculture sector, and therefore our kitchen pantries and family dinners, depend on cutting through this knot.
CFIB has heard from several business owners who have voiced frustrations with the TFWP application process: “It is such a time-consuming process! It takes 3 months at best to get temporary workers when they are needed right away. Cut the red tape for foreign workers. There are just not enough local people to fill these jobs.” – Fruit, Vegetables, and Horticultural Specialties, Ontario
Not a member? JOIN CFIB today for more help and information Bradlee Whidden is a Policy Analyst for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). CFIB is Canada’s largest association of small and mediumsized businesses with 97,000 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 and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.
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https://www.yesgroup.ca
201 Don Park Road Unit 1, Markham, Ontario, L3R 1C2 Phone: 905-470-1135 1-800-465-3536 Fax: 905-470-8417 Website: www.yesgroup.ca email: sales@yesgroup.ca
Remco and The Yes Group Protecting your Customers
Remco products are colour-coded to help divide the production cycle into different zones. By identifying these zones as different cleaning areas, the movement of bacteria around the production area can be blocked. Our products were developed with the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) in mind. No matter what colour-coding plan is implemented, Remco Products from The Yes Group provides significant added value at no additional cost. From scoops to squeegees, from brushes to shovels, we have the products and the colours to enhance any professional quality assurance program.
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September/October 2018
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