E-Newsletter dsfsfa An update from MBP September 10, 2021
mbbeef.ca
Digitizing the consumer beef experience
know about that cut, including nutritional information, safe handling instructions and recipes, and can even locate and add all the additional ingredients you need to make the recipe to your basket. That’s the vision of Canada Beef’s new Canadian Beef Information Gateway, currently in development in association with major national retailers like Loblaw and Sobeys.
By: Angela Lovell [Note: this article was prepared based on a presentation entitled, “Canadian Beef Information Gateway – Shifting the retail meat purchase experience” at the recent Canadian Beef Industry Conference.]
Imagine standing in front of the meat counter and scanning a QR code with your Smartphone on a new cut of beef you are considering buying, but have no idea how to cook. Instantaneously, you can see everything you need to
The pandemic has changed the way that consumers browse, shop and purchase food. With more Canadians preparing food at home for their families, Canada Beef identified an opportunity to improve the consumer’s beef experience, when it noticed that recipe searches on its website had increased 167 per cent since March 2020. After conducting consumer research, Canada Beef discovered that the average Canadian shopper, who purchases beef at least once a week, was interested in being able to scan a QR code to get information about things like nutrition, quality and grading, cooking methods, food safety tips and to watch recipe videos. continued on page 4
Do you have questions about AgriRecovery programs for the livestock sector?
Join us on Sept. 14 at 9am for an overview of programs to support livestock producers. Click the graphic to join.
For reliable information and resources please visit:
For the love of soil - The Western Producer Recent rain may keep cows at home - The Western Producer
If you are a Manitoba livestock producer affected by the drought conditions in 2021, AgriRecovery can help you recover from extraordinary costs.
Buying, testing and moving feed from distant locations
Livestock Feed and Transportation Drought Assistance helps livestock producers purchase and test feed for livestock to maintain their breeding herds, including transporting purchased feed from distant locations.
Moving your livestock to alternate feeding locations
Livestock Transportation Drought Assistance helps livestock producers offset freight expenses associated with moving their breeding herd to alternate feeding locations due to shortages of feed.
Apply for Assistance To apply, get full program details, or to access resources on managing dry conditions, call Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development at 1-844-769-6224 or visit rnanitoba.ca/agriculture.
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CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL PARTNERSHIP
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Digitizing the experience – cont. “We know customer experience is key, so we worked to create what we call a digital ecosystem of consumer information to simplify selection, preparation and enjoyment of a wider variety of beef cuts,” said Canada Beef President, Michael Young, in a presentation to the virtual Canadian Beef Industry Conference in August. “Our goal is to sell more Canadian beef more often, and not just in volume, we want to see an increase in product assortment, with more cuts more often from larger parts of the animal.” A huge undertaking Creating the Gateway has been a huge undertaking, involving retrofitting the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence into a digital production studio, and assembling a team of seven staff and 13 contractors who have already created 192 recipes, nutritional analyses and recipes for the Gateway. There have been many challenges along the way, the first being that every cut of beef has to be scannable in order the access the Gateway’s content. The team quickly realized there are many different scanning journeys to get barcodes or QR codes in front of consumers, so they had to come up with a unique solution. Customers scan a single QR code, and after answering a question that pops up on their phone, they scan the existing barcode on every package of beef in the meat counter and access the Gateway. Another challenge is how to get the access codes in front of the consumer in the key stages of the decision and buying process during meal planning prior to shopping, at the point of purchase and during meal preparation at home. Canada Beef is working with retailers to design and support them in adapting their systems to include QR codes on advertisements, digital
flyers, social media, in-store price tags, shelf talkers and danglers. “It’s important that we make it as easy as possible for consumers to explore and get into the Gateway,” Young said. The Gateway has been rolled out in a trial phase with Loblaw and Sobey’s but other retailers are definitely interested in the system, which currently includes content for 25 of the most popular cuts of meat, with lots more to follow, including seasonal and ethnic recipes and concepts, and videos on slice and save programs, where retailers offer more value through the option to buy larger, bulk cuts of meat. “This method of purchasing is becoming more popular; however, customers have the challenge of how to process that cut of meat at home,” Young said. “Slice and save videos are an excellent way to promote the use of this.” Promoting new ways to enjoy beef The Gateway will offer information on innovative cuts that consumers may not be familiar with. “We have learned from working in the export marketplace that there are many things you can do with Canadian beef and we plan on bringing a lot of new cuts and cooking methods to the Gateway,” Young said. Retailers are keen to get onboard with the Gateway, especially as it has been developed to be customizable to their store’s unique branding and logos that their customers will see when they scan items in their stores, and they can add other items that are important to differentiate them from their competitors. “Through this technology (retailers) can communicate with consumers, and customize, own and create a gateway that truly is theirs, knowing that it’s our information that we are continued on page 5
Digitizing the experience – cont. going to be sharing with them about buying more Canadian beef,” Young said. Down the road, the Gateway will include information about frozen food and prepared beef foods and the team is looking at how it can be adapted to serve the food service industry as well. A French-language Gateway will also be developed in the future.
“The Gateway is a game changer for how we can improve the customer experience and we are grateful for the support from producers, the national checkoff group, and the team that brought it together,” Young said. “You are going to hear more about this and there is much more to come down the pipe.”
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Manitoba’s Controlled Crop Residue Burning Program
Always Call Before You Burn
1-800-265-1233 Stubble burning restrictions
Manitoba’s crop residue burning regulation restricts daytime burning between August 1 and November 15. Burning at night is illegal. Burning within Burning Permit Areas requires a permit issued by Manitoba Conservation and Climate. If you do not comply, you may be fined as much as $50,000.
If you must burn, be responsible Before you burn straw, stubble or chaff this fall, call 1-800-265-1233 or visit manitoba.ca to find out whether burning is allowed in your area that day. Burning is permitted only on days when the weather conditions allow for effective smoke dispersion. It is essential that you make sure appropriate fireguards are in place during a burn and you must supervise your fires at all times.
Consider the alternatives In most years, crop residue management practices can reduce or eliminate the need to burn. For more information, contact your local Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development office or visit manitoba.ca.
2020 Crop Residue Burning Program MB Beef Producers 1/2 Page Ad (8.5”w x 5.5”d) Full Color
Election information Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Federal Election Priorities Nature Based Solutions, Trade and Market Access, Economic Resiliency, Innovation and Research, Animal Health and Rural Communities. Learn more about our priorities in a comprehensive priorities document below.
As political parties determine their election platforms, CCA welcomes all parties to consider the beef sector's policy priorities both for platform documents and if elected, inclusion in their governing mandate letters. CCA’s priorities for the Canadian beef sector include: Climate Policy &
Note: CCA members such as Manitoba Beef Producers provided into the development of the document. CCA 2021 Federal Election Priorities - English CCA 2021 Federal Election Priorities - French Liberal Party Response to CCA Survey
National Cattle Feeders Association Federal Election Priorities
(Source: NCFA website) The National Cattle Feeders’
Association (NCFA) recommends consideration of the following agricultural priorities for this election campaign. We believe that action on these priorities will strengthen the Canadian beef and cattle industry. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canada’s beef producers has been significant, with 2020 losses reaching upwards of $500 million. Beef processors endured shut-downs and slow-downs, cattle backed-up on feedlots, and the cost of feed
rose while fed cattle prices fell. And now a drought stunning in both scope and scale has arrived, causing feed grain shortages and wholesale decline in the national beef herd. Even in the face of such challenges, Canadian agriculture remains poised as an economic driver of the nation’s post-pandemic future. Canada’s beef industry contributes $18 billion to the national GDP annually, and accounts for 228,000 Canadian jobs. Both the COVID-19 pandemic and drought serve as stark reminders of the federal government’s responsibility to protect and preserve the nation’s food supply. This depends heavily on having the right policies, programs, and supports in place. Click here to download a full .pdf of our Election Priorities.
Election information National Agriculture Leaders’ Debate shows parties’ priorities for the sector future of Canadian agriculture and how their parties would deal with current issues in the sector. While all four parties were supportive of Canada’s agriculture sector, they differed in their visions of its future and how to help the sector achieve its potential. The Next Policy Framework and Funding for Agriculture (September 10, 2021 CFA News Release) The Canadian
Federation of Agriculture (CFA) hosted the Agriculture Leaders’ Debate on September 9th. The debate brought together national parties to question them on the pressing issues affecting Canadian agriculture today. Participants for the debate included: • NDP – MP Alistair MacGregor, Critic for Agriculture & Agri-Food • BQ – MP Yves Perron, Critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food • CPC – MP Dave Epp • LIBERAL – The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food A recording of the debate can be viewed here. The debate was moderated by RealAgriculture founder Shaun Haney and Martin Ménard, a reporter with La Terre chez nous. CFA would like to thank the exclusive sponsor of the debate , Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada. The questions covered three key areas for Canadian agriculture: Economic growth, the environment & climate change, and infrastructure. Questions also touched on risk management programming, disaster relief, supply management and more. The debaters had an animated and lively discussion, where they laid out their vision for the
CFA was pleased to see that all parties agreed that various programs needed to be improved during the development of the Next Policy Framework. The NDP and Liberals both focused on how Business Risk Management (BRM) programs needed to take into account new risks from climate change to build resiliency. The BQ noted that they had proposed that the government move forward with AgriStability improvements with the provinces that had agreed to them while allowing the other provinces to optout, creating a two-tiered AgriStability program. CFA believes this is a proposal that should be adopted by the next government. Environment and Climate Change There was a clear consensus from all parties that climate change was an increasing risk factor for farmers across Canada. All parties agreed that mitigation and adaptation of climate change needed to have a strong emphasis in any future programs, while also providing programs that incentivize farmers to adopt sustainable best practices. While CFA was happy to see this recognized, it was disappointed to see no clear commitments around how these would be achieved or what amounts of funding would be made available to support farmers as climate solutions-providers. continued on page 9
Election information Infrastructure For infrastructure, all candidates focused on the importance of rural broadband access and its importance to business as well as the future of rural Canada. The Liberals noted that they were committed to implementing full coverage of rural broadband by 2025 with $8 billion in funding but were working with provinces and industry to try and reduce the timeline further. The Conservatives noted that while this money had been earmarked by the Liberals, most of it had not been spent. MP Dave Epp emphasized that these
investments need to lead to actual action so that rural broadband could be deployed as quickly as possible. “CFA is very thankful to all the representatives that took part in the debate. This is an excellent opportunity to give farmers across the country an idea of their parties vision for the future, to help inform their votes,” said Mary Robinson, President of the CFA. “CFA looks forward to working together with all representatives in our next federal government to help Canadian agriculture reach its vast potential.”
Advance Voting in the Federal Election Begins on Friday, September 10, 2021 •
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Advance voting for the 44th federal general election begins on Friday, September 10 and continues on Saturday, September 11, Sunday, September 12 and Monday, September 13. Advance polls are open across the country from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (local time). Electors may vote at their assigned polling place only. This is different from the process in some provincial elections, where electors may vote at any polling location. Electors can find the address of their assigned polling station on the back of their voter information card, by visiting elections.ca or by calling 1-800-4636868.
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To vote, electors must prove their identity and address. The list of accepted ID is online. Electors can expect to see the following health and safety measures at polling places: o Hand sanitizing stations at entrances and exits o Non-medical masks available o Poll workers wearing non-medical masks o Physical distancing and directional signage o Frequent cleaning of work stations, door handles and other high-touch surfaces Electors have other early voting options, including voting at any Elections Canada office or by mail using the special ballot process. Electors who have concerns about voting in person can vote by mail. They can also call 1-800-463-6868 or visit elections.ca for information about the measures in place to make voting safe at their local Elections Canada office or at their assigned polling continued on page 10
Election information •
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place on advance polling days and election day. To provide a safe environment for electors and election workers, Elections Canada strongly encourages electors to wear a mask, even in places where a province, territory or region does not require them. We will require electors to wear masks where they are required by the province, territory or region or by the landlord leasing the space to Elections Canada. Electors who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons will not be required to wear one. Electors who are self-isolating or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, who have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case or who do not want to wear
a mask where one is required should apply to vote by mail. The deadline to apply to vote by mail is Tuesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m. Completed ballots must arrive at Elections Canada by the election day deadline. "For months, we have been working with public health authorities to deliver a safe in-person voting experience for Canadians," says Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault. "I encourage electors to make a plan and choose the voting option that best suits them, knowing that there are many safe ways to cast a ballot in this election." Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency that reports directly to Parliament.
Deadline Approaches To Apply To Vote by Mail or at an Elections Canada Office
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Electors can vote by mail or in person at an Elections Canada office if they will be away from their riding on advance polling days or on election day or if it's more convenient for them. Deadlines apply. We strongly encourage electors who are self-isolating or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, who have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case or who cannot wear a mask to apply to vote by mail.
Voting by mail • Electors who want to vote by mail should apply for a special ballot voting kit as soon as possible. They need to allow time for their kit to reach them and for them to return their completed ballot to Elections Canada by election day. • Once electors have applied to vote by mail, they cannot change their mind and vote in person at advance polls or on election day. • Electors can complete an application online. They can also call Elections Canada to request a paper form, print one from the website or get one at any Elections Canada office. Electors must include proof of their identity and address with their application. • The deadline to apply to vote by mail is Tuesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m., local time. • After approving an elector's application to vote by mail, Elections Canada sends them a special ballot voting kit. continued on page 11
Election information •
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Each special ballot voting kit includes a preaddressed return envelope with prepaid postage. Electors whose return envelope is addressed to their local Elections Canada office must return their completed special ballot either by mail or in person to that office. They can also return it in person at their polling station by dropping it in a ballot box specifically set up for that purpose before polls close on election day, that is, Monday, September 20. Electors whose return envelope is addressed to 440 Coventry Road in Ottawa, Ontario must make sure their completed ballot arrives at that address by 6:00 p.m., Eastern time, on election day.
Voting at an Elections Canada office • Electors can also vote at any Elections Canada office using the special ballot process. The offices are open seven days a week. • Electors who apply to vote by special ballot at an Elections Canada office may vote there at the same time. They have until Tuesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m., to do so.
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Electors who apply at an office outside of their riding and who do not vote there at the same time must make sure their ballot arrives at Elections Canada headquarters in Ottawa by 6:00 p.m., Eastern time, on election day. Electors who have concerns about voting in person can vote by mail. They can also call 1-800-463-6868 or visit elections.ca for information about the measures in place to make voting safe at Elections Canada offices or at their assigned polling station on advance polling days and election day. To provide a safe environment for electors and election workers, Elections Canada strongly encourages electors to wear a mask, even in places where a province, territory or region does not require them. We will require electors to wear masks where they are required by the province, territory or region or by the landlord leasing the space to Elections Canada. Electors who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons will not be required to wear one.
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency that reports directly to Parliament.
In 2020, 84% of benchmark farms covered cash
costs, and 32% covered cash, depreciation and opportunity costs.
Learn from your peers about market competitiveness among producers nation-wide in the 2020 Summary Fact Sheet. Cow-calf and dairy-beef producers can sign-up here.
Province Extends Application Deadline for BMP 503 re: Water Source Development (August 19, 2021 Province of Manitoba News Release) The Manitoba government has
extended the application deadline for Ag Action Manitoba- Assurance: Beneficial Management Practice (BMP 503) to Oct. 1 from Sept. 1, Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Ralph Eichler announced. “As our dry weather continues, we are committed to ensuring that agricultural producers have options when it comes to dealing with this drought,” said Eichler. “By extending this application deadline, we will ensure that more producers will be able to apply and get assistance when they need it most.” The Ag Action Manitoba Program Assurance under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, helps agricultural producers protect ground and surface water sources that are essential to ensuring the health of livestock and ground water sources. To date, the province has received almost 100 applications for a total of $630,000 in funding for the Managing Livestock Access to Riparian Areas BMP. Items eligible for cost-shared funding include:
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water source development, constructing new or rehabilitating existing wells or dugouts;
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solar, wind or grid-powered alternative watering systems;
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permanent fencing to restrict livestock access to surface water and dugouts; and
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permanent pipeline development.
More details on the program are available at www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/canadianagricultural-partnership/pubs/guidebook/agaction-mb-program-guide-forfarmers.pdf#page=30 and answers to frequently asked questions are at www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/canadianagricultural-partnership/pubs/faq/bmp-503faq.pdf . For information on how to apply, visit www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/environment/envir onmental-farm-plan/assurance-bmp.html . For more information about managing dry conditions and other resources for producers, visit https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/dry.html
FAQ on next two pages
Now available! Click here for the digital issue.
Frequently Asked Questions BMP: Managing Livestock Access to Riparian Areas (503) Q1. When is the deadline to apply?
A: Applications must be received no later than 11:59 pm Friday, October 1, 2021. Applications will be accepted continuously up to that date and will be reviewed on a weekly basis. They will be assessed by technical reviewers based on the environmental benefit assessment index, program priorities and project planning.
Q2. Do I have to complete my project this fall? A: Yes. The project must be completed and claims submitted by November 5, 2021.
Q3. If I have already done a water source development project this spring, am I eligible? A: Any projects for water source development occurring after April 1, 2021 are eligible. However, projects will need to be assessed prior to approval, and may require additional components (e.g. fencing of the dugout, alternative watering systems, etc.) in order to meet the BMP criteria.
Q4. What do I need to include with my application? A: Please answer the questions provided in either the Farmers Application Form or ISP Application Form, and refer to the BMP Specific Questions listed in either the Farmers Guidebook or ISP Guidebook to assist you. Ensure that you explain the proposed project in detail, current practices on the farm, and the environmental benefit of the new practice. Include an aerial map of the pasture with the location of the existing and proposed water sources identified as well as any fencing (existing and proposed).
Q5. Do I need a valid Environmental Farm Plan Statement of Completion? A: You can submit an application without a valid Statement of Completion, however, if your project is approved, you will be required to provide proof of a valid EFP by November 5, 2021 when you submit your project claim for reimbursement. Environmental Farm Plan workshop dates and locations will be listed at www.ManitobaEFP.ca .
Q6. Are confined livestock operations eligible? A: No. This BMP is focused on livestock in pasture-based systems.
Q7. Do I have to dig a dugout to a specific size? A: All dugout work, including new construction or rehabilitation of an existing location, should follow the dugout construction guideline.
Q8. Can I drill a new well in my yard? A: Drilling a well in the yard is eligible if it is primarily intended for watering livestock on pasture and is the most cost efficient means of doing so. It can be used for supplying water to the yard as well, assuming the pastures are next to the yard. Only the well and pasture components are eligible for funding, not any components used for inyard water.
Q9. Do I need any permits? A: Applicants must meet all regulatory requirements. This may include: A Water Rights License is required for all livestock operations extracting more than 25,000 litres of water (25 m3 or 5,499 Imperial gallons) per day. If developing a new water source, a permit must be obtained in advance of starting work. Approvals from the rural municipality or Crown. Any other standards or approvals as required by law.
Q10. Can I pump / pipe / haul water from an existing water source into a dugout that has gone dry? A: Piping or hauling water from any water source (well, dugout or wetland) into a dugout that has run dry is not eligible.
Q11. Do I have to fence my dugout? A: Dugouts must be fenced to ensure livestock do not have direct access to the water within, which will prevent contamination and protect water quality.
Q12. I just need a water trough or water storage tank. Is this eligible? A: No - watering system components such as watering bowls, troughs or storage tanks are only eligible as a part of a water source development project. However, if your project includes development or rehabilitation of a water source (ex: well or dugout) or management of a riparian area (ex: exclusion fencing), watering system components are eligible.
Q13. How deep does a pipeline need to be? A: Summer pasture pipelines permanently installed underground, and which can be properly winterized before freezing are eligible (ex: installed with a pasture pipeline plow). Above-ground pipelines are ineligible. Projects must be for permanent solutions only.
Q14. Can I apply for a project on a pasture that I rent? A: Yes. Either the landowner or renter can apply. If the renter applies, they must identify the landowner and provide contact information with their application. For pastures on Crown Land, you must get approval from your local Farm Production Extension Specialist – Crown Lands.
Q15. If I have more questions, who can I contact? A: Farmers can visit their local ARD/MASC Service Centre or call toll-free 1-844-769-6224.
Manitoba Beef Producers 2021 DroughtRelated Industry Survey reservoirs, restoring existing water sources, or hauling water. Producers are also asked to indicate their intentions with respect to herd sizes going forward, such as projected culling rates. This survey should take about 5-10 minutes to complete. Your participation is sincerely appreciated.
In support of Manitoba Beef Producers’ drought-related advocacy efforts with the federal and provincial governments, MBP is conducting a confidential producer survey to gather further data on the impact the drought is having on the province’s beef sector. For example, producers are being asked to identify their estimated percentage of feed/forage production compared to last year. Producers are asked to indicate if they are incurring additional fencing costs in order to access alternate sources of feed for grazing. There are questions related to the drought’s impact on water resources. This includes investments producers are having to make in this area, such as digging new wells or
Note: All data and comments collected will be aggregated before being used for MBP’s advocacy activities. No operation-specific identifying information will be shared with governments. Thank you in advance for your consideration in completing the survey which can be found at the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ YX52PFG MBP is continuing to engage with government officials about the severity of the drought, its effects on producers and the need for a timely, multi-pronged approach to help the beef industry deal with the immediate and longerterm implications of the drought.
Environmental Farm Plan Workshops Availability Due to COVID-19, all EFP workshops will be taking place virtually via Online Meetings until further notice. To register for an EFP workshop, click on the link “Register now!” in the link below for your preferred workshop date. Once registered, you will then receive an email with a link to access the meeting. Workbooks are mailed and you should receive yours approximately 1 week prior to the workshop. You can also visit this link to register: Environmental Farm Plans (EFP) are an essential part of every farm operation. These workshops will guide producers through the EFP workbook to help assess and identify the environmental assets and risks on their farm operations, and develop an action plan to address the identified risks. Workbooks and support material will be provided to those who attend. There is no preparation required for this workshop. EFPs must be renewed every five years to remain valid. If you are unsure if your EFP is valid, please contact KAP to inquire at (204) 697-1140.
https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/environme nt/events-and-deadlines/index.html Note: Workshops are currently available through November 2021.