Sustainability Measures Pay Dividends for Beef Producers

If there was a buzzword from my travels advocating for the beef industry in the last year, it has got to be “sustainable.” While the focus on sustainability is not new to society or our sector, it seems you can’t have a conversation with government representatives, supply chain partners, industry organizations or academics without some reference to the topic.

Sustainability means something a little bit different to everyone, depending on their perspective and focus. But I think for agriculture, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) captures it well: “A socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound product that priorities the Plant, People, Animals and Progress.”

The Canadian beef industry has been a leader in prioritizing sustainable practices, whether it be through the adoption of rotational grazing practices or more broadly through the start-up of the CRSB and its world-leading certification framework more than a decade ago. Industry leaders recognized that the market was changing and that the best way forward in meeting the demands of the consumer and the growing regulatory climate would be to defi ne and develop our own sustainability metrics. If we did not defi ne what was sustainable in beef, we were letting others defi ne it for us and that was risky.

Over the past year, I have learned of several private sector initiatives that are starting to develop metrics for sustainability for all areas of our economy. An example of this are international financial reporting standards that are adding a sustainability component that will require

TYLER FULTON President’s Column

publicly traded companies to report not only on their own environmental footprint, but also those of their supply chain partners. Financial services are another area that will be impacted, as banks are making commitments to scrutinize and bias their lending practices based on the environmental sustainability of their clients.

But it’s not all being thrust upon us with additional costs and no direct benefits to our farms or ranches. Cargill’s sustainability program pays producers $20/ head for any producer who is Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) certified and the animals are always on a CRSB certified operation. In the fi rst few years of the program, there were problems with tracking the animals and proving their eligibility, but I have been involved with an initiative that has been working through some of these issues and I am more confident that the program has improved. For our farm in 2022, we received cheques that represent a payment on about 20% of the animals that we sold, a relatively low percentage, but I note that we have been marketing our cattle on a different program that would not result in them being destined for Cargill.

Earlier this year, FCC announced a program for its beef producing clients that provides a credit for being certified sustainable with CRSB. Our farm has been certified via VBP+ for the last few years, and we utilize a couple of different lending products from FCC and after completing a short application, we received a credit of more than $1,000.

Even without these programs, I have seen value in participating in VBP+, with great online resources and personal support to help ensure that our farm follows better management practices that do change from time to time. Being involved with the program gives me confidence when I am sharing our farm’s practices, especially with those that are not familiar with the beef business. What better way to build public trust?

I encourage all producers to become VBP+ certified as I believe it will help your operation be more profitable and supports our industry’s goal to be known as a leader in sustainability.

Cheers to 25 Years!

The arrival of 2023 brings with it a milestone moment for Cattle Country – 25 years of continuous publication as the newspaper of record for Manitoba’s beef sector.

To celebrate the occasion, we have made the newspaper the news with a fantastic story by long-time contributor Angela Lovell on how it all came to be along with some thoughts on what might be over the horizon.

The 25th anniversary theme will also continue throughout the year.

In addition to our regular news and columns, in selected articles there will be an embedded QR code that will take you Beyond Cattle Country with additional video content. Simply open the camera app on your smartphone or tablet and point it at the QR code and then tap the pop-up banner.

We will also be digging deep into the Cattle Country archives to unearth some of the best content we have ever published. These highlights will be available on the Manitoba Beef Producers social media channels each Thursday beginning February 2.

If you don’t already follow us, please search out @ManitobaBeef (on Twitter), ManitobaBeefProducers1 (on Facebook) and manitobabeef (on Instagram).

No matter if you are a long-time supporter of the paper or you just recently found us, thanks for reading The Voice of Manitoba’s Beef Industry David Hultin, editor

DISTRIC T 1 ALFRED EPP

Boissevain-Morton, Brenda-Waskada, Grassland, Deloraine-Winchester, and Two Borders

DISTRIC T 2

NANCY HOWATT

Argyle, Cartwright-Roblin, KillarneyTurtle Mountain, Lorne, Louise, Pembina, and Prairie Lakes

DISTRIC T 3

ANDRE STEPPLER

Cartier, Du erin, Grey, MacDonald, Portage la Prairie, Rhineland, Roland, Stanley, Thompson, Montcalm, Morris, and Ritchot

DISTRIC T 4

VACANT De Salaberry, Emerson-Franklin, Hanover, La Broquerie, Piney and Stuartburn, Montcalm, Morris, Ritchot, Spring eld, Ste. Anne, Taché, R.M. of Piney and Reynolds

DISTRIC T 5 STEVEN MANNS

Cornwallis, Elton, Norfolk-Treherne, North Norfolk, Oakland-Wawanesa, Glenboro-South Cypress, and Victoria

DISTRIC T 6

VACANT

Pipestone, Riverdale, Sifton, Souris-Glenwood, Wallace-Woodworth, and Whitehead

DISTRIC T 7

T YLER FULTON PRESIDENT

Ellice-Archie, Hamiota, Prairie-View, Riding Mountain West, Rossburn, Russell-Binscarth, and Yellowhead

DISTRIC T 8 MATTHEW ATKINSON

Clanwilliam-Erickson, Glenella-Lansdowne, Harrison-Park, Minto-Odanah, Oakview, North Cypress-Langford, Rosedale, and West Lake-Gladstone

DISTRIC T 9 TREVOR SUND

Alexander, Brokenhead, East St. Paul, Lac Du Bonnet, Rockwood, Rosser, St. Andrews, St. Clements, St. Francois Xavier, West St. Paul, Whitemouth, Woodlands, LGD of

DISTRIC T 13

MARY PAZIUK Dauphin, Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Roblin and Mossey River