6 minute read
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Heinz Reimer
President
There is a saying that being busy is better than being bored. If you are a beef producer in Manitoba or an organization like Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) that represents cattle producers it’s probably fair to say that you aren’t bored very often.
MBP directors and staff were kept busy throughout 2016 tackling an array of issues and opportunities. Early in the year we fine-tuned our association’s strategic approach, with a focus on building our industry, telling our industry’s story and serving our members. Highlights of our work in these areas is discussed in this report, but I’ll also offer a few of my own observations about the past year.
After a welcome stretch of very robust cattle prices that allowed producers to start rebuilding some of the equity lost in recent years, prices took an unwelcome drop in 2016. Those peak prices we saw in mid-2015 now seem like a fleeting memory and we certainly seem to be on the downward side of the cattle cycle. It is difficult to know how long this will last, but in spite of this many of the producers with whom I’ve spoken say they still have a reasonable level of confidence going forward. That is positive. So too was the news that our herd grew 3.7% in the period July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2016.
We had a big change on the Manitoba political scene in April, with a Progressive Conservative government elected. We were excited to hear Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announce in July that his government wants to see Manitoba’s beef herd expand to pre-BSE levels. This is an ambitious target. MBP has been meeting with the Minister and his staff, as well as some of his cabinet colleagues to discuss what types of tools and strategies are needed to encourage growth in our sector. In speaking with producers, you have told us many different factors affect your interest in or ability to expand. In some cases you need access to affordable land, some help on the farm or skills development, or more confidence in the markets. Concerns about water management and flooding continue to affect some producers’ confidence too. MBP will continue to discuss with government how to address concerns like these so we can work to grow the herd. We were again pleased to see a good turnout of young producers at our district meetings, something MBP believes bodes well for our industry.
No year it seems would be complete without some challenging weather. We had an early spring, which seemed to bode well, but then things went off the rails. Trying to get a hay crop off was an exercise in frustration in many regions. We heard stories of first cut hay not coming off until weeks after it normally would have. The wet fall that plagued parts of Manitoba can only politely be described as miserable, turning fields, yards and corrals into a rutted mess. These prolonged wet conditions left a good number of producers unable to silage their corn. MBP approached Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) about this issue, asking for consideration on their behalf. MBP will continue to speak with MASC about the need for robust and responsive business risk management tools for crops and forages.
Producer interest in the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) is growing. Gains were made in 2016 when the federal government announced that producers who are participating in WLPIP can use this as a backstop if they are using the Advance Payments Program. This had been long sought by organizations like MBP. WLPIP is a pilot project and MBP has advocated with governments that it be continued.
There have been discussions with federal and provincial officials about what did or did not work in Growing Forward 2, and what industry would like to see in the next agricultural policy framework. MBP pointed out that there has
MBP President Heinz Reimer was among the speakers at the Vita Beef and Forage Seminar in late November.
been strong value in initiatives such as: the pilot project around the management of the community pastures (administered by the Association of Manitoba Community Pastures); the investments made in Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives; and, in programs such as the Environmental Farm Plan Program and Verified Beef Production Plus. MBP has advocated for the continuation of these programs and initiatives as well.
Social license is an ongoing topic of discussion, especially in light of the short-lived announcement by the Earls restaurant chain that it was going to source its beef from outside of Canada. While Earls quickly reversed its decision, the public conversation about how food is produced is only growing stronger. Many other retailers and restaurants are making decisions about what they sell or serve based on societal signals. In the beef industry we have a very good story to tell about our animal care practices, the high quality of our beef and the environmental benefits that can accompany beef production, such as maintaining grasslands that sequester carbon, preserving wetlands and providing habitat for an array of plant and animal species.
So how do we get that message out to people who may not be as familiar with our industry as we are? MBP is pleased to be a member of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, an organization dedicated to advancing sustainability efforts in the Canadian beef industry. This fall it released the findings of the National Beef Sustainability Assessment and Strategy, which was a comprehensive look at the environmental, social and economic performance of Canada’s beef industry. It will be used to help advance future sustainability efforts. The CRSB is also developing a Verification Framework that will allow producers and processors to demonstrate the sustainability of their operations and enable our customers to source sustainable beef.
MBP is also a proud supporter of both the Manitoba 4-H Council and Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba. The former is helping train the next generation of producers. The latter delivers programs, activities and tools to help teachers and students learn more about the important role that agriculture plays in our province. With people so far removed from agriculture, it is very important that we partner with organizations like Agriculture in the Classroom to help tell the good story about Canadian agriculture. In this report you’ll learn more about the many different types of communications activities MBP undertakes. While some are targeted specifically at producers, many of our outreach activities focus on helping the general public better understand our industry.
Throughout 2016 MBP directors and staff worked on many issues, from predation management to pesticide consultations, market access and labour supply, the community pasture program and Crown lands policies, investments in research and knowledge transfer, and more. We hope you find value in the advocacy work we undertake on behalf of the industry, in the public outreach we do to share the story of how beef is raised, as well as the other services we provide to you, such as age verification.
As always, I have truly appreciated the support I received from my family and friends in 2016 as I spent time away from our operation fulfilling my role as both District 4 director and MBP president. Thank you as well to my fellow MBP directors and to our staff, including our new General Manager Brian Lemon who joined us in April, for the exceptional level of dedication they demonstrate to our association and to advancing Manitoba’s beef industry.
