CORP CREEK FARM
Bill and Jill Corp and Family OMEMEE, ON 705-799-4788 (Bill’s Cell) 705-772-9345 (Jill’s Cell)
corpcreekfarm@hotmail.com
Registered Breeding Stock
HIDDEN-VIEW POLLED HEREFORDS
Joe and Karen Paszternak NORWOOD, ON 705-9573739 or 705-957-7470
karen.paszternak@gmail.com
Cows and heifers for sale
JDL CATTLE CO. & D&S LIVESTOCK
David, Shirley, Josh & Jessica Lasby
Justin, Jaimie Lasby & Family MULMUR, ON 519-943-4147 or 519-278-6819
jessica.lasby@hotmail.com
Good-looking, Sound, Functional Cattle!
LIAN MOR POLLED HEREFORD
Wallace & Fern Pugh & Trevor & Amy Pugh MONO, ON
Wally & Fern lianmor@sympatico.ca · 519-941-8515
Trevor & Amy
tpugh27@yahoo.com · 519-939-7489
Breeding Stock Available
O’SHEA FARMS
Jamie and Mel O’Shea DENFIELD, ON 519-477-1238
osheafarms@hotmail.com
Bulls and Females for sale
WHISKEY LANE LIVESTOCK
Herford and Angus
Scott, Paula, Jason and Shelby Cornish
INDIAN RIVER, ON 705-295-2925
705-878-3248 (Scott’s Cell)
705-341-3220 (Paula’s Cell) wll@nexicom.net
Visitors Always Welcome
Dr. Lois Batty, President – 705-328-4302 www.ontarioherefords.ca
The Ontario Beef Breeder Program, supported by BFO, is comprised of seven active local co-ops located throughout Ontario who provide members with loans to purchase beef breeding females. This issue of Ontario Beef highlights the importance of this program, particularly for young producers who are faced with a high cost of entry into the beef business. Visit page 24 to read about Dan Hoggart who is a member of the Huron-Perth-Middlesex Beef Breeder Co-op explain why the program works and should be considered by the cow-calf sector.
Special thanks to BFO Director Kim Jo Bliss from Emo, Ontario for our cover photo featuring her Hereford herd enjoying some winter weather. Don’t miss out on submitting your photos for our May issue. Please send your springinspired photos by April 15 to be considered for the cover. Digital photos in portrait orientation that are at least 300dpi are preferred, and can be emailed to info@ontariobeef.com.
ONTARIO BEEF • Beef Farmers of Ontario
130 Malcolm Road, Guelph, ON N1K 1B1 • Phone: 519-824-0334 • Toll Free (for Ontario callers only) 1-866-370-BEEF (2333)
Fax: 519-824-9101 • info@ontariobeef.com
EDITOR
LeaAnne Wurmli
CIRCULATION COORDINATOR
Bethany Storey
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Cathy Lasby, Preferred Agri-Marketing Services
Guelph, ON
Phone: 519-763-8833 • Fax: 519-763-8833
pams@sentex.net
DESIGN and LAYOUT
Prism Studios Advertising and Design Inc.
Guelph, ON
PRODUCTION and PRINTING
Beck’s Printing Services, Brantford, ON
Ontario Beef is the official publication of the Beef Farmers of Ontario. Contents of this publication may be reproduced only by permission of the Editor and with credit acknowledged. Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and/or editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Beef Farmers of Ontario. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement or approval by Ontario Beef or the Beef Farmers of Ontario of products or services advertised.
Advertising deadlines are January 10, April 15, July 15, September 15 and November 15. The publisher reserves the right to refuse or cancel any advertising, including advertising that is inconsistent with BFO’s Sponsorship Policy, available at www.ontariobeef.com. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published, however no responsibility can be assumed for advertising not received in clear, type-written form.
Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Number 0040007029
POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Beef Farmers of Ontario, 130 Malcolm Road, Guelph, ON N1K 1B1
Aswe approach our annual general meeting (AGM) this month, it signals the completion of my first year as president of BFO. After spending two years in near isolation, 2022 felt like an active year, or maybe it was just the growing pains of returning to “normal”. We’ve just wrapped up another year of local association annual general meetings. It was so nice to see many producers out at these meetings and we do appreciate the participation of our members and the active discussion on a number of files like beef sustainability, vet access, farmland preservation and the transportation regulations.
Speaking of beef sustainability, I am happy to share the BFO Board of Directors met in December and reviewed recommendations from both the BFO Cow-Calf and Feedlot Committees regarding our Ontario Beef Quality Assurance Rebate Incentive Program. In 2023, the program will continue and will now offer producers a 100 per cent rebate on audit fees for those who become certified under the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program, and will offer a 75 per cent rebate on audit fees for producers who are renewing their audit in 2023. The ambitions of our incentive program are to improve the supply of Ontario certified sustainable calves for Ontario certified sustainable feedlots, encourage enrollment and support in quality assurance programming, and to help offset VBP+ audit costs for our members. I would encourage anyone who is interested in enrolling in VBP+ to contact Dan Ferguson or Jaclyn Horenberg to get started, and visit page 38 for more details.
Just after the new year, a delegation from the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) and BFO attended the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders Ag Chairs Summit in Charleston, South Carolina. Attending the event presented a great opportunity for us to meet intimately
Jack Chaffe (Feedlot Director) - President
Phone: 519-301-3034 • Email: jdchaffe@quadro.net
Craig McLaughlin (Eastern Director) - Vice-President
Phone: 613-504-1863 Email: cmblackhorse@gmail.com
Don Badour (Cow-Calf Director)
Email: don.badour@ripnet.com
Don Hargrave (Cow-Calf Director)
Email: dchargrave@gmail.com
Jason Leblond (Cow-Calf Director)
Email: jsacres5@gmail.com
Rob Lipsett (Background Director)
Email: lipsettrob@yahoo.ca
Joe Dickenson (Feedlot Director)
Email: joe@dickensonfarms.com
David Millsap (Feedlot Director)
Email: davidwmillsap@gmail.com
Jordan Miller (Northern Director)
Email: b.jordan.miller@gmail.com
Ron Stevenson (Southern Director)
Email: ron@metzgervet.com
Jason Reid (Director-At-Large)
Email: reidridgefarm@tbaytel.net
Kim Jo Bliss (Director-At-Large)
Email: kimjobliss@gmail.com
Executive Director
with Minister Thompson and other influential agriculture leaders from across Canada and the U.S. Following that trip, I travelled to London, Ontario to attend the 25th anniversary of the Ontario Beef Industry Convention hosted by the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association. The full-house event featured excellent speakers, an all-star meal, a lively auction and the perfect venue to catch up with friends. On behalf of the BFO Board of Directors and staff, we congratulate the OCFA Board, Jim Clark and staff on their silver celebration and on hosting another successful sold-out convention.
In early February, I, along with a number of directors travelled south to New Orleans to attend the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Tradeshow. Attendance at this event, together with CCA, allows us to work on our U.S./Mexico relations and discuss common issues impacting producers across North America. While we travel to the U.S., BFO Vice President Craig McLaughlin will join Minister Thompson and OMAFRA on their trade mission trip to Japan and Vietnam. Both countries are extremely important trade markets for Ontario beef, and we appreciate the opportunity to be invited to continue to build our relations in Asia.
On the home front at BFO, we are in the midst of reviewing our five-year strategic plan and both the board and staff are really looking forward to a re-focus next month as we meet as a new board in March and begin planning and setting priorities for 2023. Resolutions carried at our AGM will also help us to focus efforts and I look forward to the debate and discussions.
To those of our members who are in the midst or approaching calving, best of luck for a healthy calf crop, and wishing everyone strong markets in the year ahead. OB
Richard Horne • richard@ontariobeef.com
Manager of Policy and Issues
Thomas Brandstetter • thomas@ontariobeef.com
Policy Advisor
Darby Wheeler • darby@ontariobeef.com
Policy Advisor
Evan Chaffe • evan@ontariobeef.com
Director of Communications
LeaAnne Wurmli • leaanne@ontariobeef.com
Manager of Public Engagement and Digital Strategy
Jennifer Kyle • jennifer@ontariobeef.com
Communications Specialist
Bethany Storey • bethany@ontariobeef.com
Market Information Coordinator
Jamie Gamble • markets@ontariobeef.com
Accountant
Amber McIntyre • amber@ontariobeef.com
Office Manager
Tammy Purdham • tammy@ontariobeef.com
Manager of Producer Relations
Dan Ferguson • dan@ontariobeef.com
Senior Producer Relations Specialist
Jaclyn Horenberg • jaclyn@ontariobeef.com
Producer Relations Specialist
Robert McKinlay • robert@ontariobeef.com
Check-Off Inspector
Chris Millar • chrism@ontariobeef.com
Provincial Supervisor, Ontario Feeder Cattle and Beef Breeder Co-op Programs
Cheryl Russwurm • crfeederfin@wightman.ca
Water Quality Specialist
Chris Attema • chris@ontariobeef.com
Since the Ontario Beef Youth Alliance (OBYA) launched a year ago, its current membership sits at 170 members strong, and that continues to grow.
The OBYA is comprised of members between the ages of 18-35 who have subscribed to become a member of the OBYA. Members must have an active interest in the Ontario beef industry, but do not need to be BFO check-off paying members.
Membership benefits continue to evolve as the OBYA welcomes members and we look at effective programming and resources for this group of individuals. BFO makes every effort to provide the following benefits:
• Networking and engagement opportunities with other like-minded individuals
• Youth-based programming and events
• Mentorship connections
• Access to information and resources on current funding programs to support on-farm development
• Platform to share career opportunities related to the beef and agriculture sectors
• Complimentary subscription to Ontario Beef magazine
• Eligibility to run as a candidate and/or elect candidates for the youth positions on the BFO Cow-Calf, Feedlot and Research Committees
If you are between the ages of 18-35 and have an active interest in the Ontario beef industry, we would welcome you to visit www.ontariobeef.com to subscribe where we will collect your contact information and enter you into the OBYA database.
Communications will be sent to members throughout the year. If at any time you wish to unsubscribe from the OBYA, you can unsubscribe by following the prompts in BFO’s communications, or you can contact Bethany Storey directly at the BFO office to be removed from the OBYA.
We know our organization will need strong leaders providing thoughtful direction for years to come, and we strongly believe that an investment in youth development is an investment in our collective future. OB
are prepared
AtBFO’s Annual General Meeting last year, a number of resolutions were put forward and efforts to address the 2022 BFO resolutions are now complete. As follow-up to Beef Beat article, which appeared in the December issue of Ontario Beef, an overview of the remaining resolution responses and associated actions can be found below. If you are interested in reading more about a particular resolution, all BFO resolution responses can be found on BFO’s website or by contacting the BFO office. Resolutions carried at BFO’s 2023 Annual General Meeting this month will also be posted by the end of the month.
22-08:
Ensuring consistent inspection practices is an issue BFO regularly raises in our discussions with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Inspections at auction facilities are done by facility staff receiving animals, by CFIA- and OMAFRA-appointed inspectors and
veterinarians contracted by the ministry. The roles and responsibilities of each differ. Inspectors will use a combination of onsite inspection and evaluation techniques for assessing compliance and determining the impact of non-compliance.
JPC 3K [BORN 9 JAN 2022, 82LB.]
AUG 27, 826LB, DEC 30, 1198LB. TENDERNESS 10. THINK QUALITY... THINK TENDERNESS.
Since 2008 we have been genomically testing and selecting for TENDERNESS. It is estimated that less than 1% of beef cattle will make the highest score of 10 for tenderness. We have 4 bulls that are 10’s and half of our bulls are 9 or 10. Reserve your bulls now and we will semen test them and deliver them when you want them.
No one ever regretted buying quality. DON & JEANNETTE CURRIE
2234 Conc. 11, R R #1, Nottawa, Ontario L0M 1P0
Phone/Fax: 705-445-1526
Cell: 705-715-2234
• Email: doncurrie@glenislay.com
Despite having standardized training processes and inspection procedures in place, this can result in some inconsistencies from timeto-time when it comes to criteria being used for inspecting cattle at auction barns. If there are specific instances you are aware of, contact the BFO office with particulars so BFO can work with government to find a resolution, if possible, or to obtain more information on how and why the decision was reached. Reporting specific instances with as much detail as possible allows BFO to more effectively represent producer concerns with regulators who oversee inspections in Ontario.
22-09:
Regulations that guide inspection and enforcement practices, in most cases, specify the outcome that regulated parties must meet without prescribing the way it should be achieved. Even for more prescriptive regulations and guidelines, inspectors and other enforcement agents are often provided discretion in exercising their
Continued on page 8.
authorities based on their best judgement and assessment of the situation. BFO fully recognizes that outcomes of this process may not always align with producer or industry views, and sometime mistakes and errors in judgement are made.
BFO strongly recommends that cases of observed inspection inconsistency or where producers believe an error in judgement has been made to please report this directly to the BFO policy team, members of the BFO Board, and/or to CFIA, OMAFRA or the enforcement agency in question. At a minimum, BFO endeavors to support members wherever possible to obtain additional information on inspection decisions, provide guidance on appeals and complaint response, and suggest regulatory or other policy changes in response to specific incidences that have been observed by members and other industry partners.
BFO had hoped that some of our discussions over the last year with the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), and with regulators such as CFIA, would materialize and provide a more optimistic outlook on the potential to address these concerns but sadly, the status-quo system of complaint-based enforcement appears to be the approach that will be taken by federal regulators at this time.
BFO fully agrees with the call to government and supports the concerns regarding unchecked marketing claims. This year, BFO raised concerns with the CCA Food Policy Committee, and also made a direct request to the CFIA to investigate ways to improve the integrity of beef product labels in Canada. CCA has also had conversations with the agency on this topic in recent years.
In our discussions with CFIA, officials encouraged industry groups and farmers to utilize CFIA’s complaint-based model to report any instances of misleading labelling occurring at retail. While this approach does not address the concerns related to unsupported marketing claims, it is an approach that CCA has taken, and BFO endorses, in the absence of a more robust proactive enforcement system.
Although we have no positive news to report on this file, we are committed to the development and support of Ontario beef brands supported by assurance structures that validate any and all marketing
Bulls are our Business with Data to support Decisions
Customer Service • Bred for Performance
Calving Ease/Temperament • Ultrasound Tested
Yearlings & 2 Year Olds • Black, Red & Blaze Faces
Dave, Gayle & Grant Milliner
225641 Southgate Road #22 • Dundalk, ON N0C 1B0
Phone: 519-923-9188 • Cell: 519-377-9188
Email: milliner.dg@gmail.com
Follow us on: www.facebook.com/WaydamarFarms
Marywood Breeders Group Consignor Bull Test Station with Winter & Summer Groups
Contact: Dave: 519-375-0122
Josh: 519-362-5373
• Grant: 519-387-0429
claims as part of our Ontario Beef Market Development Program (OBMD) that operates in partnership with the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association.
BFO will continue to work on this issue with CCA, Canada Beef, and other groups that may support our call for improvements, such as the Retail Council of Canada. While that work continues, we do encourage all members to report misleading or fraudulent marketing claims on beef products in stores and other retail environments to the CFIA, or to BFO for follow up with federal regulators. OB
Nearlya decade ago, which is really giving me a moment of pause, our association underwent a significant transformation as we changed our name from the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association to Beef Farmers of Ontario. At the time, it was a period of both resistance and optimism for our members, but on a personal level, it was a challenge that I was ready for and I’m grateful to have been apart of such a monumental transition. Our new logo (and brand) was unveiled in October of 2013 and it has served us extremely well over the last nine years most specifically with government, media, consumers and members of the public.
Since that time, societally and within the beef community, we have also undergone some significant changes. In my observations, we now have more women and youth involved in our association and sitting around our board and committee tables. BFO’s recent commitment to acknowledging our role in creating diverse and inclusive spaces has no doubt been a contributing factor to this trend. When we proposed the constitutional amendment to the membership in 2013 to change our name, the board’s pitch at the time was that we needed to be more inclusive, appeal to our consumers and to align ourselves with the other ag commodity groups in the province. While there is always room for improvement, we have definitely achieved significant inroads, and I’m thankful the membership had the foresight to make the change nine years ago.
As I mentioned, the BFO brand has served us well, but as time marches on, I suppose we could all use a little bit of a makeover. There are mixed reports of how often a brand should be reviewed, some say as little as every six months, some say a year and others suggest three to five years. With nine years under our belt, I guess you could say we are slightly overdue, which is why our communications team took inventory last year of our brand, communication assets and ventured down the path of a refresh. I am pleased to say that we are looking forward to sharing what we’ve come up with this spring, beginning with a soft launch at our annual general meeting this month.
To be clear, our logo will remain the same – with a slight facelift to the text and a modest colour modification – but we have been working on a refreshed website, digital assets, tradeshow materials and internal/ external communication documents. The other important element that has changed since 2013, is the introduction of our Ontario Beef consumer facing logo and website. Our focus throughout the refresh process was to improve the synergy between both of our brands – Beef Farmers of Ontario and Ontario Beef - to create a cohesive look.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on who you ask, impressions matter. While some of this work may seem frivolous or a waste of resources, how we present ourselves to government and the public matters and I would suggest that it’s even more important now with more pressure on our sector to be innovative, responsible and accountable. Having an image that helps us communicate these attributes with important stakeholders will help us on important lobby files with government and advocate for our positive environmental and economic contributions to society. Frankly, we need all the help we can get.
Our AGM theme this year, Reflect, Reset & Reconnect, was appropriately selected to encompass our return to in-person events and meetings, the board’s review of our strategic plan, and our policy priorities to review (or reset) the PAWS Act and address a number of capacity issues like processing, veterinarians and deadstock. As I wrap up this article, it’s clear that I should have advocated for the fourth “R” of refresh to capture our brand work.
Stay tuned for the launch of our updated website this spring and a new look for all of our communication materials. As always, if you have a suggestion on how how we can reach our members better, we welcome new and innovative ideas. We also continue to build our email distribution lists. If you would like to receive industry updates, breaking news and media statements as they happen, please send me your email address to be added to our member distribution list. OB
2022has drawn to a close and as such, we wanted to share some of the highlights of what turned out to be a banner year for our consumer engagement activity. In addition to executing two largescale campaigns, a consistent social media and influencer strategy, in-person events and other promotional activities, we utilized an expanded budget to execute some more high-profile projects and activities to really build momentum.
We continued our simmer and boil strategy where we maintain a continuous stream of content and activity all year, and at various points throughout the year, we ramp things up to a boil with our larger campaigns, which build on the success of previous campaigns.
When we look at all of our activities for the year, collectively, our content made over 73 million impressions. Because some of the campaigns were still running until December 31, that number will likely grow once we have all of the final analytics.
Let’s take a look at a few of the highlights from the fall.
This year, to try something new, we tried our hand at some video advertising. We created and launched two 15-second videos, both centering around the theme “Great Taste is Closer than You Think”. The opening visuals suggest the meal is taking place in London, UK or Paris, France, before quickly transitioning to show the delicious meals are in London and Paris, Ontario. The idea is, obviously, to remind folks
great tasting beef can be found right in their own backyard.
The video ads ran as YouTube and Connected TV ads for five weeks in the fall. If you were streaming on YouTube or through ConnectedTV devices (AppleTV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Smart TV, etc.), you might have caught them.
While TV advertising is hugely expensive – we’re talking $400K+ for one 30-second spot to air for four weeks – digital video ads offer a fantastic and more cost-effective alternative. Our two spots generated over 9 million impressions! The top audience was adults aged 25-44 and the top shows where our ads were shown were Big Brother Canada, Chopped Canada, New Amsterdam, Property Brothers, Saturday Night Live, Top Chef Canada and, interestingly, Young & the Restless, to name a few.
Our plan is to repurpose these ads again in this year’s plan to get more mileage for our dollars spent.
Scan the QR code to the right to check out one of the video ads!
In the summertime, we undertook a project to bring three highprofile social media influencers out to each tour a farm and create some content about what they learned in terms of the environmental
sustainability practices that take place on the respective farms. For this project, we worked with Food Network personality Wallace Wong, blogger and TikToker Sarah from Nutrient Matters, and Michael Rizzi, a lifestyle influencer, content creator and LGBTQ+ advocate. Collectively, these three folks have millions of followers and connect with people on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. All three created great content and generated lots of discussion on their respective channels.
The campaign wrapped up in early October and it’s safe to say the campaign was another big success having made over 2.2 million impressions. What’s interesting is with the focus on TikTok, which was a new platform for us, our top audience was folks aged 18-24. Typically, our audience is 25-44, so it was nice to reach the younger crowd who are typically most concerned about the environmental impact of their food.
Again, special thanks to the Swain family, the Sickle family and Sandra Vos for hosting their visitors and providing excellent, infopacked tours.
The second of our two podcast ad waves wrapped up at the end of December and was another success. This time we had two ad spots read by Alan Cross, who is the host of Ongoing History of New Music. As with the previous summertime ad, Alan did a great job.
In addition to running on Alan’s show, the ads also ran on a number of podcasts across the Corus network. Interestingly, True Crime shows tend to be among the most popular among those who are hearing our ads!
By the end of the wave, our Ontario Beef ad made 965,550 audio impressions, which totals over 2 million impressions with our podcast ads in 2022. We look forward to building on this in 2023.
We were excited to take part in a couple of fun in-person events this fall. We had a last-minute opportunity to collaborate with a group called The Chef Collective to serve as the title sponsor for their Chef Battle in October. The event saw celebrity chefs, TV personalities, foodies, influencers, food bloggers and influencers from across the GTA gather for an epic cooking showdown between three high-profile chefs. Similar to shows like Iron Chef or Top Chef, the competitors were challenged to create mouth-watering dishes for the judges using a mystery ingredient, which was, of course, Ontario beef! It was a great night with our Ontario Beef logo plastered all over the event, social media content and media coverage. Scan the QR code to the right to check out a sizzle video that captures the evening!
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair was also back in-person this year and we were excited to be back and FINALLY debut our new Ontario Beef booth. Each of the 10 days was busy with many folks excited to come to see “the country in the city”. A big thank you goes out to everyone who volunteered their time to be at our booth to chat with visitors. The spinning wheel and colouring station were HUGE hits with the kids.
2022 started and finished strong in terms of our consumer engagement efforts. We are excited to get to work building on the great momentum in 2023. We will continue to provide updates on all of our consumer engagement work throughout the year via both the magazine and our quarterly email updates. If you would like to receive the email updates, please email me (jennifer@ontariobeef.com) to be added to the list. In the meantime, be sure to follow us on social media. It’s the fastest way to see what we are up to. OB
By Bethany Storey, BFO Communications Specialist
TheSharecost Program, administered each year by BFO, continues to be a well-utilized program with the majority of local associations participating. In support of producer and consumer initiatives, 33 participating counties and districts took part in 2022 receiving a total return to the local level of just over $97,100. Each year, local associations put forth time, effort and commitment to supporting local initiatives and programs to promote and raise awareness for the beef industry. In November of 2022, final applications were submitted, including invoices and record of payment for each activity. In return, BFO provides a cost-share of 80 per cent, up to a maximum of $2,500 for consumer initiatives and $2,500 for producer initiatives, with a total maximum return of $5,000 per local association. In 2022, qualifying producer applications ranged from youth programs and scholarships, and educational workshops, while consumer activities included generous support of local food banks throughout the province, engaging consumers at agriculture awareness events and advertisement campaigns with radio stations and newspapers.
As an additional component of the BFO Sharecost Program, local associations were encouraged to send submissions for the BFO Sharecost Innovation Award. Associations may submit an application for either a consumer or producer project that the county/district is especially proud of. The award is presented based on leadership, innovation, creativity and success of execution. We had exceptional entries this year with programs and projects submitted demonstrating beef farmers’ support for their communities and member engagement. We congratulate all of the exceptional entries that took the time to get involved, dedicating their efforts to these projects. The first-place winner is awarded $500, while second place receives $250 and third place receives $100.
In 2022, BFO was pleased to receive four innovative entries from Hastings, Lambton, Bruce and Thunder Bay. It was a great set of entries, making it difficult to select only three from this outstanding group.
Congratulations to our 2022 winners: Beef Farmers of Thunder Bay, Beef Farmers of Hastings County, and Lambton Cattlemen’s Association!
Beef Farmers of Thunder Bay partnered with the Thunder Bay Community Growing Project, which is affiliated with the Canadian
Foodgrains Bank. Through the project, they finished four steers which were then processed locally. When it was all said and done, 3,000 pounds of beef were donated to local food banks and placed into packages along with other farm donations of pork and veal to be auctioned at a gala dinner. The beef auction and gala raised $12,000, which was donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The Beef Farmers of Thunder Bay strongly highlighted beef producers support for their communities and their involvement in local charities with this project. The association’s work with the Thunder Bay Community Growing Project was an outstanding way to promote Ontario beef, as well as to support those in need.
Beef Farmers of Hastings County (BFHC) created and shared vaccination coolers between their local members and other beef organizations within their county in 2022. BFHC received rave reviews from those who used the coolers on their practicality and convenience. In 2022, they also purchased the supplies and provided the instructions on how to develop the vaccination coolers for their local 4-H beef club. Congratulations to BFHC who did an excellent job in providing a useful tool to local beef farmers and 4-H beef members through this project.
The Lambton Cattlemen’s Association hosted a Clipping & Fitting Day for the four local 4-H beef clubs that meet in their county. The day provided five stations, covering talks ranging from animal health, nutrition and of course, clipping and fitting your animal for showing! A guest speaker, Tyler McGregor, an Olympic gold medalist of the Canadian Sledge Hockey Team was also present to provide a motivational talk to those attending. This was a successful learning experience for 4-H members both novice and senior, with some members bringing their own show animals to practice on. Through this project, Lambton Cattlemen’s Association demonstrated a great example of supporting and engaging young producers within their county.
Congratulations to all 2022 winners and entrants! BFO looks forward to receiving more fantastic and innovative entries from our 2023 Sharecost applications. OB
Improving production efficiency is often described as doing more with less. In reality, it means getting more out of what we currently have. One simple example of this is making sure beef cows waste less hay.
Let’s assume a cow-calf producer feeds 50 beef cows, (average weight 1,500 lb), for 180 days and estimates that the cows waste 20 per cent of the hay provided. Over the winter, the producer will need to provide 405,000 lb of hay, which costs $20,025 ($0.05 per lb). The farmer improves his method of feeding which reduces hay wastage from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. Reducing wastage by this amount reduces the hay requirement by 33,750 lb which translates to a cost savings of $1,687.50. A simple change in feeding methodology can produce a significant financial benefit. Some losses are inevitable, but the goal is to keep these losses to a minimum.
This example illustrates that improving production efficiency, which ultimately leads to higher annual returns through a combination of reduced costs of production and/or increased output, can be achieved by correcting simple inefficiencies that cost very little, if anything. Often these simple inefficiencies have to do with the way of working rather than anything fundamentally incorrect about the production system.
Another example is ensuring cows are body conditioned scored prior to the start of the winter-feeding period. Thin cows can then be fed separately from the rest of the herd bringing them back into good condition for calving. To make things easier, these thin cows could be fed in the same group as your in-calf heifers. Cows calving in good condition dramatically reduces calving difficulties, veterinary costs, the
Michaela’s cell: 705-720-0085 michaela.jpdangus@gmail.com
Lori’s cell: 705-720-0829 lorijchalmers@gmail.com
rate of calf mortality and, hugely important, cows go back in calf easier.
Pregnancy checking is a necessary and economically important chore. Any mature cows found to be empty should be slated for culling. Culling empty mature cows will eliminate the cost of feeding an unproductive animal and will give a return when sold. Heifers that fail to breed have significant potential value as a fed animal and should be managed as such.
Don’t forget about your breeding bull. Body condition score at least six to eight weeks prior to the start of the breeding season and have a soundness examination completed. Better to discover and fix any issues now than find out six weeks into the breeding season that you have a problem.
Finally, compact calving is a great way to boost the revenue return from your beef herd. Unlike the examples above, it is not something that can be achieved in one year but requires several years of planned breeding and culling to bring your breeding and calving into a compact number of weeks, but the effort is worth it. This will give a set of calves that will all be very close in age and weight. Having a set of animals so similar make them attractive to a greater number of potential buyers increasing their value and you can target the sale of the largest number of your calves when prices are potentially at their best.
This is a great time of year to examine your production practices from the past year and consider changes that could improve farm efficiency. Most improvements in farm efficiencies do not cost much, but will require an acknowledgement that some of the ways of doing things could be better. Increasing efficiency is a great way to boost farm income.
Check out the new podcast We’ve Got the Beef hosted by Havie Carter. Monthly episodes will help beef farmers navigate best practices for their production system through information updates and timely tips for the upcoming season. Each episode will feature a conversation with a specialist from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, a researcher from the University of Guelph, an industry expert or local producer. Listen to the first episode, Overwintering Your Cattle in Preparation for the Next Grazing Season on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. OB
Aplant-basedburger might look like beef and taste like beefbut that doesn’t make it beef. According to new research from the University of Guelph, that’s an important distinction that has a dramatic impact on everything from how we digest plant-based protein alternatives to the type of bacteria growing in the human gut.
It also has consequences for overall human health, says Prof. Michael Rogers, a Tier Two Canada Research Chair in food nanotechnology and associate professor in the University of Guelph’s food science department who led the research.
“For the first time in history, 50 to 60 per cent of the adult population are afflicted with at least one type of diet-related chronic disease, and we’re seeing an entirely new epidemic, which is metabolic syndrome,” says Rogers. “We see the prevalence of this syndrome, which includes obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, increase whenever a population introduces new ultraprocessed foods.”
Although there’s no one source of metabolic syndrome, Rogers believes what he calls the disturbing trend of displacing minimally processed foods with products that are ultra-processed to be a significant contributor to the problem. Ultra-processed foods are ones made from ingredients extracted from whole foods, formulated to be tasty, low cost, convenient and have a long shelf life.
“These foods do not resemble the whole foods they come from; the average Canadian today consumes 48 per cent of their calories from ultra-processed foods that are higher in salt, sugar and saturated fats,” he says. “But it’s more than just the composition that’s changing, it’s also the impact those foods have on our bodies.”
To delve deeper into this issue, Rogers’ team conducted in-depth research to compare the body’s digestion of plant-based meat – in this case a Beyond Beef burger – and a burger made of real ground beef.
What Ph.D. candidate, Zhitong (Zoe) Zhou and Rogers found is that it is quicker and easier to digest a plant-based burger than a meat burger. This leads to rapid fat digestion and ultimately a higher lipemic index (equivalent to the glycemic index for carbohydrates).
Faster digestion and absorption of fats results in more lipids circulating before the body stores them - an important biomarker for cardiovascular health. In addition to lipids, the plant-based burger contains significant amounts of starch, which is capable of increasing blood sugar levels. A meat patty contains no carbohydrates, so it doesn’t impact blood sugar levels.
“Meat is a complex protein network that entraps fat, so it takes the body longer to access and then digest or break down that fat. This releases nutrients more slowly into the body, potentially
altering feelings of fullness for a longer period of time after eating,” explains Rogers. “When you formulate a plant-based burger, the fat can’t be bound the same way as it is in meat, so it breaks down more quickly. That’s a major limitation to current ultra-processed food technologies.”
The food industry has done a remarkable job of creating many processes to turn perishable whole food commodities into selfstable ingredients such as oils, starches and protein isolates. According to Rogers, more work needs to be done to take those ingredients and formulate them into ultra-processed foods that also resemble whole foods not just during consumption but also while they’re being digested.
The high starch or carbohydrate content in the plant-based burger also favours the growth of starch-fermenting bacteria early in the colon, the research found. Those bacteria metabolize the fat, creating changes in the populations of micro-organisms in the gut and in short-chain fatty acids. Consumption of plant-based burgers can lead to changes in the human gut microbiome, notes Rogers.
So, what’s the takeaway for the beef industry?
“People need to change their thinking around ultra-processed foods. Just because something is plant-based, doesn’t make it healthier,” Rogers says. “The body does not digest plant-based burgers in the same way as it does real beef, so the two products are not nutritionally the same. Labelling both as meat is entirely misleading.”
Part of the challenge is that only about two percent of Canadians are involved in farming – compared to a century ago when more than 60 per cent of the population worked in agriculture – leaving most people with little understanding of food and how it is produced.
That lack of understanding of the value of whole foods spills over into environment and climate change issues as well. There is little appreciation for the key role that livestock play in carbon sequestration and being able to use land for food production that isn’t suitable for growing crops.
“A two-class food ecosystem is emerging in Canada, where only a subset of Canadians can afford the time and cost to follow Canada’s Food Guide recommendations to prepare meals from scratch and to avoid ultra-processed foods; this will become a problem for Canada moving forward,” Rogers says.
Rogers’ research was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery and Canada Research Chair Programs.
A webinar where Rogers presents his research in more depth is available on the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation website. OB
This article is provided by Livestock Research Innovation Corporation as part of its ongoing efforts to report on research developments and outcomes, and issues affecting the Canadian livestock industry.
SATURDAY,
Ab Carroll – Auctioneer: 705-344-6654
John Mielhausen – Ontario Charolais Fieldman: 519-378-5076
Stacy Young – DLMS: 780-718-0622
It’sbeen a busy start to 2023 for the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA). CCA has been active on the advocacy front in January working on policy issues of importance to Canadian cattle producers, while our youth leaders had another opportunity to represent the Canadian beef industry on the world stage.
Our advocacy efforts have recently focused on our animal health and care priorities. New regulations came into force on January 1, 2023 designed to further improve safety and address driver fatigue. These regulations mandate Electronic Logging Device (ELD) use by federally regulated carriers. This mandate works hand in hand with Hours of Service rules. An ELD automatically records a driver’s driving time and duty status. No provisions have been made for the unique circumstances that may arise when transporting livestock.
Drivers hauling livestock cannot always pull over and go “off-duty” because of their live cargo. Facilities, weather, and animal care concerns must all be considered. Drivers currently account for this in their logistical plan for off-duty time but challenges arise when unforeseen circumstances or emergencies cause drivers to max-out their on-duty time in locations where unloading the cattle for feed, water, and rest is not feasible. This could occur because of temperamental animals slowing loading, veterinary inspections slowing border crossings, or weather and road conditions slowing transport speeds.
The CCA position is that both human and animal welfare must be considered in transport regulations. CCA is advocating along with numerous other national commodity and veterinary organizations. Our first goal is to secure recognition that animal welfare constitutes an emergency under Subsections 76(1) and (2) and thus would permit drivers to extend the driving time allowed to reach their destination.
The long-term proposed solution is harmonization with United States’ regulations which provide an exemption from livestock drivers’ on-duty time within a 150-air mile radius from the origin and destination of their trip. This exemption provides the flexibility needed to deliver live animals without compromising animal welfare and has not compromised driver or public safety.
Additionally, CCA continues to push on the need for the establishment of a Canadian vaccine bank for foot and mouth disease (FMD) through conversations with parliamentarians and department officials. In recognition of the strong integration of the North American beef value chain, we have collaborated with our counterparts in the U.S. and Mexico on a joint call for continued investment in FMD vaccine banks in each country.
Establishing this critical infrastructure in Canada will be a major milestone in our preparedness against the threat of FMD. In anticipation, CCA is providing leadership to national and international
Brad Gilchrist, Beef Marketing Manager with Semex, joined the Thursday program to talk about genetic supply and data, and the role of genetics in a dairy-beef production model. Dr. Derrell Peel from Oklahoma State University wrapped up the evening program with a talk on cattle numbers, beef margins and the impact of weather and drought on cattle supplies.
collaborative efforts on emergency planning and preparedness. Domestically, through Animal Health Canada, CCA is working with government and other at-risk commodities to ensure the vaccine bank can be operationalized effectively in an emergency. Internationally, we have identified a shared need for continuity of business plans for use in a possible FMD outbreak in North America.
Another key animal health and care file that CCA is focused on is the Specified Risk Material (SRM) review. Building upon the success of the OIE (now World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)) submission, CCA has been working in partnership with the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to have an external Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) SRM Risk Assessment completed with the goal of looking at whether Canada should move to a shorter list of SRM similar to the U.S. Progress is being made on the risk assessment with sections of the document now being reviewed by experts within the industry and the government. Work will continue in the coming weeks on completing the writing and review of the submission, followed by an industry consultation process.
Our youth kicked off the year strong with an international visit to Denver, Colorado to attend the National Western Stock Show and take in various industry tours from January 11 – 14, 2023.
The goal of this experience was for our next generation of leaders to better understand how cooperation and collaboration between the U.S. and Canada supports and maintains our integrated supply chain and learn about common issues of importance to Canadian and American beef producers.
The group was made up of four representatives from Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) and two representatives from the Canadian Cattle Youth Council, including representation from Ontario from CYL, Danika Mayer (Alexandria, Ont.), and Youth Council President, Charlene Yungblut (Niagara, Ont.).
Tours included visiting the JBS Greeley facility to learn about meat processing, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding Kuner Lot, Leachman Cattle of Colorado and Colorado State University. Our young leaders also built connections with various U.S. industry stakeholders through meetings and networking events with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, the Consulate General of Canada in Denver, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers.
A special thanks goes out to the Consulate General of Canada in Denver for their efforts in coordinating an interesting program for our young leaders and providing funding to support their travels. OB
On Friday afternoon, Jeffrey Fitzpatrick from Cargill joined the stage to talk about Cargill’s sustainability program and the demand to maintain a healthy supply of Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef certified cattle for the marketplace.
BFO was happy to support the tradeshow component of the convention. Over 40 exhibitors and sponsors were present to meet with attendees over the course of the two-day event.
The most popular event of the convention of course continues to be the banquet and auction. Over 500 people attended the sold-out banquet featuring a delicious meal of Ontario Corn-Fed Beef. The auction also garnered record participation. Photo courtesy of Michele McAdoo from Canada Beef.
Asa farmer, do you find it difficult to book processing space? Do you want to contribute to an online tool that can make it easier to find available processors offering the services you need when you need them? As a meat processor, do you find yourself spending a lot of time booking processing time with your clients? Do you want to participate and contribute to a solution that helps you and your clients schedule and receive reminders to efficiently use the skilled labour to process animals?
Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) together with AgSights have established a dashboard with availability across the province. Together, with abattoirs and farmers they are working to implement a centralized online booking system for Ontario abattoirs called Processor Links. This system enables farmers to book appointments online for livestock processing, which will improve booking visibility, accessibility, and reduce manual administrative tasks.
MPO and AgSights are currently looking to speak with producers who have recently had or are currently having difficulty finding processing appointments. They will be able to provide administrative support to match them with an abattoir that aligns with their processing needs, while also gathering information for a longterm solution to this industry-wide challenge.
If you are interested in this program, please email processorlinks@agsights.com or complete an intake form (agsights. com/what-is-processor-links/), which can be found at the bottom of the webpage.
As a reminder, if you take advantage of this program and are matched with a processor who you haven’t worked with before, be sure to discuss your end-product and packaging expectations to ensure you are both happy with the experience. OB
By Gina Teel, Manager, Stakeholder Communications, Canada Beef
CanadaBeef achieves a significant milestone in 2023 with the 50th anniversary of beef marketing activities in Canada and abroad. The Canada Beef team is proud to carry on the strong legacy of leadership and innovation that continues to serve producers by ensuring a bright future for the Canadian beef industry.
As we celebrate our anniversary in 2023, we acknowledge the rich and colourful organizational history of Canada Beef. Canada Beef began operations on July 1, 2011 with the consolidation of the Beef Information Centre (BIC) and the Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF). The predecessor organizations had operated as the domestic and international marketing arms of the Canadian beef industry, respectively, since 1973, with BIC incorporated in 1973 and CBEF in 1989. CBEF opened the first office in mainland China and the SHA Rep. (Shanghai) office in December 1999.
Today’s Canada Beef team includes 26 skilled marketing, trade professional and administration staff based in Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, and Taiwan. This includes the addition of three talented individuals in 2022 who will help make the team even better.
Shelby VanSickle started as Senior Director, Channel Marketing in FQ3. VanSickle is responsible for leading Canada’s domestic beef marketing strategy for increasing demand, client confidence and competitive position in the Canadian marketplace.
Kelly Hyde, Director, Canadian Beef Information Gateway, and Mauricio Arcila, Director of Technical Services, joined the team in FQ2. Hyde’s focus is on the implementation of the Gateway with new and existing partners. Arcila will focus the majority of his time on initiatives related to market intelligence, regulatory and market access support, as well as work to advance our beef quality strategy and other areas that require applied research.
In addition, Canada Beef is nearing completion to renovations of our facilities that help us deliver impactful programs, while providing value to our funders.
The corporate anniversary logo is based on our new Premium Quality Grain-Fed Canadian Beef’ tagline logo refresh to be officially launched as part of a larger initiative in FQ4.
Canada Beef attended the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association Convention in London, Ontario in January. Staff Joyce Parslow, executive director, consumer marking, and Michele McAdoo, executive director, digital marketing, highlighted the Gateway program, the Beef Pride eStore and the Canada Beef Performs e-newsletter. A lot of great discussions and information sharing occurred at the Canada Beef booth.
The #MyCanadianBeef campaign features advocates and influencers sharing their Canadian beef stories with consumers and followers. Now in its third year, the campaign was refreshed this fiscal to include world cuisine – a move that proved popular with Canada Beef’s target audience and provided more opportunities to encourage users to visit the Gateway.
The campaign has seen over 25 million ad views this fiscal which resulted in 141,963 clicks to the website, and key performance indicators on each platform have exceeded industry benchmarks to date. The campaign runs until March 31, 2023.
The Second Edition of ThinkBeef’s Ground Beef Toolkit launched in FQ4. This important resource was first developed and distributed back in early 2020 as a comprehensive resource for food and nutrition professionals, culinary students and educators. Since then, Canada Beef has continued to monitor the research and update the content as new information emerged.
By Jeanine Moyer
WhenOntario beef farmers built the Ontario Beef Breeder Co-operative Program in 2002, they got it right.
Since its inception, the program has enabled farmers to purchase more than 30,000 breeding animals. These animals have helped farmers get started in the industry by establishing their herds, developing designated breeding programs, expanding herds, and supporting the overall growth of Ontario’s beef sector.
Modelled after the Ontario Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program, the breeder co-op program is supported by the Beef Farmers of Ontario and is designed to offer a grassroots financial support
program to enable producers to invest in breeding females, including bred cows or heifers, open replacement heifers, or cows with calves at foot. The difference between the two provincial loan programs is that the breeder program is not backed by a provincial government guarantee, impacting assurance deposit and interest rates.
In its first year, nine breeder co-ops were established. Then BSE hit Canada in May 2003. Cheryl Russwurm, provincial program supervisor for both the Ontario Beef Breeder and Ontario Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee programs, says the breeder program struggled to grow in its infancy due to BSE, but has been instrumental in building back provincial herds since. In fact, the program has seen significant growth over the last seven years since stocker calf prices have increased. “The economics for cow-calf producers are more attractive, and since 2015 we’ve seen more demand for the program than ever,” explains Russwurm.
Today, the program operates through seven active co-ops throughout the province, serving 330 members. With roughly 36 per cent of those members under 40 years of age, the breeder loan co-op not only provides financial support, but peer to peer mentorship opportunities for new farmers too.
Dan Hoggart, Huron County beef farmer and long-time member of both the breeder co-op and feeder finance co-op programs, recommends both programs to fellow producers, especially younger ones eager to build their own herds.
A member of the Huron-Perth-Middlesex Beef Breeder Co-op since 2014, Hoggart took out his first breeder loan to increase his cow herd. He continues to finance his herd expansion through the program, using it to focus on herd genetics. Hoggart is breeding his cows to withstand Huron County’s environment and to suit his management system. He works full-time off the farm, calves outside and keeps his herd outside all winter. “That’s why I’m looking for hardy animals who can calve without assistance,” he says, explaining that over the years, the breeder loan program has helped him develop a successful breeding program to support his herd management system.
Each breeder co-op is operated by a board made up of fellow co-op members who review new member applications, approve all loan applications and provide support for members. In addition, each co-op hosts an annual meeting offering professional development opportunities, speakers and networking to help each co-op member learn from each other
and industry experts. Co-op supervisors also offer on-farm support when visiting farms (farm inspections are a requirement for new members). “One of the things I enjoy the most about my job is the opportunity to visit young producers who are utilizing the program and see their enthusiasm for the beef industry and how beneficial the co-op has been to establish their cow herds,” says Russwurm.
Hoggart notes many of the breeder loan co-op members are long-term, leveraging the available financing each year to invest in their herds, while others participate on an as-needed basis, or until they’ve achieved their genetic or herd-building goals.
Most breeder co-op members utilize the program to finance between 10-100 animals, depending on the co-op, with the average number of breeding animals per member (on the program) at 30 head.
To participate in the beef breeder loan program, applicants must apply to their local co-op where the board is responsible for approving each member. An initial 15 per cent assurance deposit is required and can be applied to a producer’s final payment. Loans are financed over five years, with payment periods designed to align with cattle sales cycles. An additional sixyear financing option is available for the purchase of open heifers for breeding. Co-ops and their lender establish a maximum lending rate per female animal, and most members are able to finance 100 per cent of the purchase price.
Hoggart explains that in his local co-op, loan payments for breeding animals that calve in the spring are due on December 1, and for those producers who calve in the fall, loans are due on June 1. “The spring payment opportunity is a relatively new option our local board has adopted to accommodate evolving farm management practices,” notes Hoggart.
Loan limits range between co-ops, with some available up to $150,000. Currently, the total inventory of breeding animals on the program across the province is approximately 10,000 head.
Currently in his sixth year as a director on the board of the Huron-Perth-Middlesex Beef Breeder Co-op and recently elected as president, Hoggart is proud to report that in 2022, the co-op supported 51 members, financing $1.2 million for the purchase of 1,011 breeding animals. Many producers participate in both the breeder and feeder cattle loan programs, allowing cow-calf producers who choose to keep their calves over the winter to put them on the feeder finance program. This helps farmers finance the cost of raising the calves until spring sales season. Another difference between the two loan programs is the upfront assurance fee. The feeder loan program only requires a five per cent deposit because it is backed by a government guarantee. Hoggart explains that, while the Beef Breeder Program requires a greater upfront investment, the program’s interest rate hasn’t changed, remaining at prime + 0.5 per cent since it began, one of the reasons the program continues to be an attractive option for producers.
“No matter how you leverage the program, it can help free up equity for other capital purchases, providing beef producers with another farm and financial management option,” says Russwurm.
“Designed to support Ontario beef farmers, this program continues to be a success year after year.”
For more information about the Ontario Beef Breeder Co-operative Program, visit www.ontariobeef.com OB
Will
k.whitwell@hotmail.com
Offering Registered Yearling Angus bulls; AgSight Performance Tested Select Registered & Commercial Replacement Heifers available
Growth, Carcass Merit, Calving Ease and Maternal Performance are the foundations of our program. Visitors always welcome!
Today, the program operates through seven active co-ops throughout the province, serving 330 members. With roughly 36 per cent of those members under 40 years of age.
August 2-5 2023 • Spencerville, Ontario Ontario
August 6, 2023 • Spencerville, Ontario
SPARE TIME LIVESTOCK
Don & Donna Scott & family Oxford Mills, ON Don: 613-913-1579
Laura: 613-316-8728 sparetimelivestock@gmail.com
HILLSIDE FARMS
Ray and Stacie Stanton 4250 King Road, King City, ON, L7B 1K4 416-505-0707 rays@londonproperty.ca
AFTER HOURS LIMOUSINS
Rd. Port Hope, ON L1A 3V7 905-449-0149
clarkcattle1@hotmail.ca
LOYAL LINE LIMOUSIN
Brent and Vicky Black 82509 Loyal Line Goderich, Ontario
N7A 3Y3
Cell: 519-955-1234
brentblack204@hotmail.com
Rob & Erin Weppler 117078 Grey Rd. 3 , Tara, ON 519-375-6108 Rob@gbtel.ca
BROWN EDEN LIMOUSIN
Neil & Suzanne Brown 768 Zion Road Little Britain, ON, K0M 2C0 705-768-1605 nsbrown@bell.net
LAKESIDE FARM Wayne and Nancy Lawrence 263657 Southgate Rd. 26 RR#4 Durham, ON N0G 1R0 519-369-2806 lakesidelimo@hotmail.com
PINCH HILL LIMOUSIN Paul, Brandon & Chad Homer Stittsville, Ontario 519-339-9659 or 613-987-0822 pinchhill@gmail.com
SELBY GENETICS 1762 County Rd. 11 Selby ON KOK2ZO 613 388 9286
rick.steggles@bell.net
RAIL LINE FARMS
Paul and Brad MacIntyre 221 Bruce County Rd. 1 RR #3, Lucknow, ON N0G 2H0 519-528-2423
pcmacintyre@hurontel.on.ca
As we start the new year amid elevated inflation and the threat of a recession, FCC Economics is highlighting ten charts that help make sense of the economic environment for farm operations, agribusinesses and food processors.
This should surprise no one. Last year’s inflation hit monthly highs not seen in decades, with headline inflation at 6.8 per cent year-overyear in November. Excluding food and energy, prices rose 5.4 per cent over the same timeframe. Higher prices for food and gasoline (which rose 11.4 per cent and 13.7 per cent year-over-year, respectively) drove much of the overall inflation as of March 2021 and throughout 2022 (Figure 1).
FCC Economics forecasts inflation to moderate throughout 2023, although prices are still expected to remain high. Keep an eye on the Bank of Canada as it attempts to wrest inflation under control and bring it to the midpoint of its one to three per cent target range. The Bank of Canada is expected to keep the overnight interest rate above 4.0 per cent and evaluate how the economy and inflation react before considering its next move. Any further upward or sideways movement in inflation could be met by further rate increases.
That may not be the case in 2023 though. Because inflation skyrocketed in 2022, the negative slope might be less a harbinger of economic fallout and more an indicator that inflation’s wild upswing is expected to moderate and, possibly, that normality will be restored.
A deeply problematic outcome of the pandemic has been the seemingly endless trouble of finding labour in Canadian agri-food supply chains. That’s particularly the case for primary agriculture, among input and service suppliers and across food service establishments. Those three sectors each have lower levels of employment than in August, September and October 2019 (Figure 3).
While food processors, wholesalers and stores show employment gains driven by higher sales, these industries still face significant labour shortages as evidenced by job vacancy rates that are more than double pre-pandemic levels.
The overnight interest rate rose from 0.25 in January 2022 to 4.25 in December. Over that time, the yield has exhibited a negative slope for bonds with a maturity over one year (Figure 2), which means that long-term interest rates are lower than short-term interest rates. Such a pattern can serve as a signal of a looming recession as investors expect economic activity to fall over time.
The Loonie
This is a chart that’s hard to miss on the watch list. The loonie started 2022 at 0.79USD before finishing the year just under 0.74USD. FCC Economics expects some further deterioration in early 2023 (Figure 4). It should decline towards 0.70USD in Q2 2023 before starting to rise again by the end of 2023.
Although the Canadian dollar had appreciated relative to the Euro and several other key ag producing countries’ currencies throughout 2022, its recent fall against the Euro has eroded almost all gains. It’s a dual-edged sword, as the relative depreciation of the loonie makes imports from these countries more expensive in Canada but makes Canadian exports relatively more competitive in global markets.
World stocks-to-use ratios are expected to be low at the end of marketing year 2022-23 for crops that are Canada’s largest exports (Figure 5). Coarse grains and wheat are lower than their respective previous five-year averages, as are soybeans and total oilseeds. Global stocks of canola are scraping the bottom of the barrel after the poor 2021 Canadian harvest. The world canola stocks-to-use ratio in 202122 was the lowest since 2003-04, while Canada’s ratio was close to the record low set in 2012-13.
South American corn and early soybean production over the winter months will be key to watch as any unanticipated declines will pressure the ratios further.
The story of pork exports has been one of record demand and high prices since African Swine Fever (ASF) decimated China’s hog herd in 2018-19. With the Chinese hog herd now rebuilt, Brazil has emerged as an increasingly larger supplier while exports from the EU, U.S. and Canada are expected to continue their declining trends (Figure 7). Among the four largest global exporters, Brazil has grown their share of total exports between 2017 and what’s expected in 2023 by 51.1 per cent. The U.S. and Canada have each lost less than 5 per cent total market share, while the EU’s share has dropped 8.7 per cent in the same timeframe. Brazil is South America’s and China’s biggest pork supplier and is expected to increase their exports to the Philippines where ASF remains a threat.
While the U.S. and the EU are considerably larger exporters than Brazil, the country is poised to overtake Canada as the world’s thirdlargest global supplier soon. We’ll watch the growth trends in exports and imports this year.
Fertilizer production has faced numerous, severe supply shocks since the pandemic that have culminated in skyrocketing prices (Figure 6). From weather-related damage in U.S. and Pakistani fertilizer plants and an extended Chinese phosphate export ban to the impact from the war in Ukraine on Russian natural gas exports, global fertilizer producers have been largely unable to keep up with demand.
While Dutch natural gas prices declined significantly in Q4 2022, these prices in other European centres will continue to be volatile, limiting further EU fertilizer production. EU natural gas prices will set the floor price for global ammonia and other fertilizer products in 2023.
U.S. distillate stocks (for example, diesel and heating oil) declined in September, October and November of 2022 to levels not seen since the 1950s. The low stocks have pushed diesel prices significantly higher, with the spread between gas and diesel over $0.50/litre in December. We’re watching this as diesel is the primary fuel of the economy and low distillate stocks will continue to keep inflated energy prices elevated. Going forward, the supply of diesel in the U.S. and globally is set to tighten even further with the EU embargoes on imports of Russian diesel starting in February 2023.
With the highest rate of heifer slaughters as a percentage of total slaughters since at least 2013, the North American cattle herd is set to show its largest contraction in the count on January 1, 2023 (Figure 8). In a move to offset extremely high feed costs, producers have opted to cull cattle rather than retain heifers and grow the herd. While it improves the short-term situation, it will have far-reaching consequences for beef production in North America.
For
Brent Saunders
c: 519-372-6196
e: saunders@bmts.com
Darrell Saunders
c: 519-373-6788
e: dbjsaunders@gmail.com
Blue Mountains Charolais
Harvie & John Reekie
c: 519-374-7108
Todd Campbell
c: 519-379-7565
e: tcampbell@rbafinancial.com
Travis Fulford
Auctioneer: Scott Kuhl Keady Livestock Market 519-477-2339 Follow us on Facebook for the latest updates Saunders Charolais 18th Annual Bull Sale Saturday April 1, 2023 Pre-saleBullViewingatTheFarm ByAppointmentOnly Selling 32 Charolais Bulls 6 Simmental Bulls
The pandemic changed everything consumer-related, and we haven’t returned to the “same old, same old.” Canadians stopped patronizing foodservice businesses and drinking places during the first two and a half years of the pandemic and bought more food and beverages in retail outlets. As we head into year three, food purchases have more closely aligned with the 10-year trend (Figure 9). Consumers have shown a strong demand for restaurants and readyto-eat meals despite inflationary pressures on these discretionary purchases.
Between 2015 and 2019, foodservice sales accounted for 37 per cent of food retail sales in Canada. These nosedived during the pandemic, but as of September 2022, they’ve fully recovered, sitting at 38 per cent (and at 48 per cent in the U.S.). Foodservice sales are expected to surpass 50 per cent of total food consumption in the U.S. within the next few years.
In 2023, we’ll be watching how closely the long-term pre-COVID trend holds. As the possibility of a recession looms at the start of 2023 and the upward foodservice trend starts to buckle, we’ll see if the upheaval the pandemic has helped create is finished.
Supply chain disruptions have been a big news story each of the last two years, and in 2023, the Canadian agri-food chain may have a chance to get ahead of some of the upheaval. Our last chart to monitor this year is the trend in the value of unfilled orders of Canadian agricultural implement manufacturers (Figure 10). The trend is a proxy for farm equipment sales and inventory levels as it indicates the status of equipment manufacturers’ pre-orders.
Equipment sales have been mixed in 2022 following a strong performance in 2021. Continued strength in crop receipts in 2022 supported demand for new and used farm equipment. At the end of 2022, inventory levels of new farm equipment were nearly 50 per cent below their five-year average and are expected to remain tight through 2024. Farm equipment sales in 2023 will largely depend on the speed of supply chain recovery and equipment manufacturers’ deliveries on previous orders. Strong farm equipment sales in Canada and the U.S. are expected to reduce farm equipment inventories of new and used farm equipment further.
Thanksto the support of Platinum member Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO), Farm & Food Care Ontario (FFCO) brought together beef farmers, food producers, agribusinesses and their urban and suburban neighbours in ways that were both educational and entertaining last year.
2022 was a monumental year for FFCO and our partners as the organization celebrated the 10th anniversary of FFCO’s founding and made its return to in-person events in a significant way. After two years of relying on digital and altered events, 2022 enabled options for a return to more typical public interaction.
Partnering with the Paris, Grand River, and Milton Agriculture Societies, three walk-through Breakfast from the Farm events were held on fairgrounds, where visitors had a chance to see farm animals - including beef cattle - and equipment, and talk to farmers and ask questions about where their food comes from. At each event, visitors enjoyed breakfast and left with bags packed with pancake mix, maple syrup and valuable information about agriculture in Ontario.
Continued on page 45.
Because of their balanced profile of calving ease, growth and carcass quality, Canadian Angus cattle work well in both purebred and commercial operations. Use Angus bulls to make top performing feedlot steers and beautiful replacement females.
Cambray Livestock Company
Luke, Matt, Joe and Carl Jewell 1153 The Glen Road, Woodville ON 705-934-2853
Fallis Land and Cattle
Mike, Lisa and Cole Fallis 1273 6th Line Selwyn, ON K9J 6X5 705-740-4878 | sunsetacres@nexicom.net
Gilchrist Farms
Brad & Kristie Gilchrist 1269 Grey Ox Ave RR#5 Lucknow, ON N0G 2H0 519-440-6720 | brad@gilchristfarms.com
Glen Islay Angus
Don Currie 2234 Conc 11 Nottawa, ON L0M1P0 705-715-2234 | doncurrie@glenislay.com
Harprey Farms
Allan Hargrave/Don Hargrave 307483 Centre Line A Proton Station, ON N0C 1L0
Allan 519-375-5541 | Don 519-375-1500 harprey@gmail.com
Loval Farms
Scott & Sandra Honey 127 Honey Road Warkworth, ON K0K 3K0 705-924-3809 | lovalfarms@gmail.com
Maple Line Farm
Ian & Tim Rudkin 3320 Bradburn Road Blackstock, On L0B 1B0 Ian 905-718-5331 | Tim 905-213-6518 maplelinefarm@hotmail.com
Meadow Bridge Angus
JJ Deslippe 922580 Rd 92 RR # 4 St Mary’s, ON N4X 1C7 519-275-1739 | deslippe@quadro.net
Rob Roy Angus
Don & Betty McNalty 634514 Road 63 RR#2 Singhampton, ON N0C 1M0 705-446-4740 | robroyangus@gmail.com
SCOMAC Livestock
Scott & Elizabeth MacDonald 4169 Highway # 6 Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0 Scott 519-820-1272 | Elizabeth 226-971-0015
Take advantage of mentorship and career building opportunities in the Canadian beef industry through Canadian Cattle Young Leaders! Program applications have officially launched and are open until March 31, 2023 at 11:59 pm MT at www.canadiancattleyoungleaders.ca.
The mentorship program was established by the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) in 2010 and has since seen over 170 program graduates. Canadian Cattle Young Leaders is open to young people, ages 18-35, across Canada involved in all areas of the beef supply chain including producers, students, veterinarians, financial advisors and much more! Through the program, 16 participants are selected annually to be paired with a hand-picked industry leader for a nine-month mentorship to help advance their career in the beef industry and are awarded a $2,000 budget to put towards learning and travel opportunities of their choice. In addition, participants are offered skillbuilding training, travel and networking opportunities catered uniquely to the beef industry. We strongly value diversity amongst applicants where all are welcome to apply, as it plays a key role in young leaders gaining exposure to new ideas and creating peer learning experiences.
If you’re interested in taking the next step to fast-track your career and involvement in the Canadian beef industry, please visit our
website for more information.
Thank you to our Foundation Partners Cargill, MNP, McDonald’s Canada and New Holland, along with Gold Sponsors Farm Credit Canada, Alltech, RBC Future Launch and Elanco for your incredibly generous sponsorship that makes these opportunities possible!
If you have any questions about the program or application process, contact CCA’s Youth Leadership Coordinator, Jessica Radau, at radauj@cattle.ca. OB
Currently offered as a free, live webinar. Please email jaclyn@ontariobeef.ca for upcoming training dates.
3
During the training webinar, you will learn about the audit requirements. Operations must have at least six months of records for cow-calf producers and three months of records for feedlots.
Schedule an on-farm audit with a trained auditor coordinated through the national office. Complete any Corrective Action Requests from the audit to successfully become a VBP+ Certified operation.
MAINTAIN
Complete yearly record requirements to ensure that you are still in compliance with the program. On-farm audits are completed once every five years.
For a copy of the article entitled, "A PAWS inspector is at my door, now what?" contact the BFO office.
latest Canadian beef &
YOUR GATEWAY TO TOOLS & RESOURCES LEARN MORE
By Jacques Van Zyl, DVM, Metzger Veterinary Services
Lameness is very prevalent in the feedlot, with foot rot being the most common cause of lame cattle. Care must be taken when discussing causes of lameness to make sure that the correct cause is being identified, so that the appropriate treatment can be initiated. Other causes of lameness include foreign bodies such as nails or wire, fractures, joint infections, bone infections, sole abscesses, sole ulcers, or hairy heel wart (also known as strawberry). In this article, when referring to foot rot, I am referring specifically to interdigital necrobacillosis.
Foot rot is caused by the bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum (“F. necrophorum”). However, other bacteria such as Porphyromonas levii and Prevotella intermedia have also been identified in cases of foot rot. Although these last two bacteria are not thought to cause the disease, they can diminish the body’s immune system, allowing F. necrophorum to establish infection. F. necrophorum is an anaerobic bacteria, meaning it grows in conditions that have no oxygen. It is found throughout the environment, including cattle manure, and can live up to 10 months in damp, anaerobic conditions.
Under normal conditions, the hoof and skin of cattle are excellent barriers to infection. F. necrophorum can be isolated from non-diseased feet. Therefore, for cattle to become infected, the natural defenses need to be compromised in the form of a break in the skin. This allows the bacteria to invade the tissue and set up an infection. The environmental factors that can contribute to the disease are anything that damages the skin in between the toes. This can include rough surfaces, stony ground, or sharp gravel. Wet or muddy environments also contribute to macerating the skin between the toes and providing conditions that allow the bacteria to proliferate. Problem areas in the feed yard include high traffic areas such as the feed bunk, water troughs or mineral feeders. High temperatures and humidity may cause the skin to chap and crack leading to higher rates of foot rot in the late summer and fall. Feedlots with poor pen sanitation have increased incidence of foot rot with severe lesions, highlighting the importance of environmental management.
Cattle can be affected in one or more limbs, with a hind limb being more common. Once infected, it does not appear to be contagious since incidence is sporadic. Herd outbreaks can occur, but are typically attributed to the environmental factors affecting all of the cattle in a given pen. The first sign of foot rot is typically a sudden onset of lameness. Producers will notice a symmetrical swelling of the foot that may stretch up to the dewclaws, making them look further apart in comparison to non-affected feet. As the infection progresses, the skin between the toes develops a crack and starts decaying with a putrid odor, giving the disease its name. Cattle may stand with only their toe touching the ground and can develop a fever in severe cases.
If left untreated, the lameness becomes more severe, and infection may progress up the leg or invade the surrounding tissues such as the joint or bone. If the infection invades the surrounding structures of the adjacent toes, then the swelling can become localized to one side of the foot. At this stage, a claw amputation may be necessary. Chronic, untreated foot rot can also start to form granulation tissue
(proud flesh) and develop into a club foot at which point treatment is generally unsuccessful. Cattle generally have decreased intakes and can have up to 0.45lbs less gain per day than their unaffected pen mates.
Diagnosis is generally made by lifting the foot and examining the interdigital skin. Penetrating foreign bodies such as nails can also be ruled out in this manner. If unsure, a biopsy or bacterial culture of the skin can be performed. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment should be initiated immediately as early intervention is necessary for effective treatment. Luckily, we have lots of medications that are labelled for the treatment of foot rot. These include penicillin, florfenicol, oxytetracycline, ceftiofur and tulathromycin. Foot rot is also a painful condition and there is a pour-on formulation of flunixin that is labelled for pain caused by foot rot. If you are experiencing an outbreak of foot rot, consult with your veterinarian about utilizing chlortetracycline in the feed for group medication. Medicating feed or developing treatment protocols should only be done under the direction of a veterinarian. Recovery can be expected in approximately 4 days if treatment is given early enough. Cutting away the dead tissue and wrapping the foot is rarely performed as a bandage can create anaerobic conditions conducive to bacterial growth. Cattle do not always develop protective immunity after a case of foot rot so the disease can re-occur.
Prevention of infection encompasses a few different approaches. The most effective strategy is making management changes that protect the natural defenses of the intact skin and claw. This includes regularly removing soiled bedding. F. necrophorum is very sensitive to atmospheric oxygen and high temperatures, so exposing the bacteria to this can limit the environmental burden. Foot rot incidence generally increases with increasing amounts of precipitation, which highlights the importance of appropriate drainage around pens. Lastly, removing any debris from yards can decrease injury to the skin between the toes. Personally, I have treated cases where even frozen chunks of straw used for bedding have contributed to foot rot outbreaks in certain yards.
Another means of prevention is through supplementation with zinc. Zinc is important in maintaining skin health. Supplementing with zinc has been shown to be beneficial in decreasing foot rot incidence in some cases, but attention must be given to ensure appropriate copper and selenium levels as well. Generally, zinc needs to be fed for 90 days before any beneficial effect is seen. Always consult with your nutritionist and veterinarian when considering feed additives.
Lastly, there are commercial vaccines available, however, they have not been shown to be universally effective. In a study of feedlot cattle in Western Canada, there was a reduction of foot rot incidence in cattle fed free choice forage, but no difference was seen in cattle fed a high grain diet. This may suggest that in pasture settings the vaccines may be beneficial; but, more importantly, highlights the other factors influencing lameness that still need to be investigated.
Overall foot rot is a frustrating and costly disease in feed lots, but with appropriate environmental management and early medical intervention, it can be adequately controlled. OB
In2022, Ontario annual average railgrade prices were the second highest on record, second only to 2015. 2022 followed the same trend as 2021 but at prices anywhere from $30.00 cwt to $60.00 stronger on a month-to-month comparison. At time of reporting in mid-January, railgrade prices are record high for the month of January (currently at $326.00 cwt) and around $6.00 cwt stronger than December 2022, but still currently below the record high monthly average price of $336.75 set in June of 2015. Although prices around the $326.00 cwt price for January 2023 are strong, the estimated breakeven for this month is around $322.00 cwt dressed with a cost of gain at around $136.00 cwt (feed) with an expected profit of $50.00 per head give or take. Compare that to January 2015, where the estimated breakeven was $271.00 cwt while the average selling price was $312.69 with a cost of gain at $67.51 cwt (feed) with an estimated profit of around $375.00 per animal. The strong railgrade price does not translate to high profits for the producers as increased production costs, transportation, replacements and record high feed all contribute to limited profits.
Ontario railgrade prices have been trading at a premium to Alberta on a cash-to-cash basis for all of 2022 with the exception of the week ending September 23, 2022 where Alberta prices were $0.50 stronger. However, the U.S. started out on a negative basis until the fall when the market strengthened as available numbers started to tighten up and processing rates were strong. Since that time, Ontario and the western provinces have been trading lower than the U.S. on a cash-tocash basis.
Ontario federally inspected processing volumes for 2022 totalled 610,049 head which is up 0.3 per cent from 2021 and up 6.7 per cent from 2020, noting numbers are preliminary and could increase as final volumes become available. Steer volumes were up 2.8 per cent over 2021, heifers down 9.7 per cent and cow processing volumes were down 0.05 per cent from 2021. Provincial volumes, which are currently only available until October 31, 2022, are down from the prior two years annually due to this. When comparing October to October yearto-date values, 2022 processing numbers are down 1.3 per cent from 2021 but up 4 per cent from 2020.
Ontario carcass weights for the first half of 2022 were below or steady to 2021 and the five-year average, but considerably lower than 2020 which was plagued with COVID-19 related issues. The second half of 2022 weights increased and traded above the last two years and the five-year average despite extremely high feed prices. For the last three years in October, the Canadian average carcass weight for steers was larger than the Ontario weight which rarely happens. Since 1977, the Ontario carcass weights have been slowly trending higher with steers peaking in 2016 with an annual weight of 957 lb while heifers peaked in 2014 at 862 lb annually. Since the peak carcasses have been trending mostly sideways with steers annual averages ranging from 943 lb to 957 since 2016 and heifers from 832 lb to 862 lb since 2014. This year steers averaged 950 lb annually down 7 lb from 2021 while heifers averaged 837 down 8 lb.
Fed cattle exports to the U.S. through Ontario ports as of November 30, 2022 were down from 2021, 2020 and the five-year average for most of 2022. With stronger prices in Ontario over the U.S. and plentiful supplies in the U.S., the demand was limited for Ontario cattle. In October, the situation changed as U.S. numbers of ready-cattle started to tighten, the Canadian dollar softened and the U.S. was trading at
a premium to Ontario. Volumes exported to the U.S. from Ontario increased sharply for fed steers and heifers while cow volumes have been somewhat flat all year. Overall, as of November 30, 2022 exports of fed steers are 39 per cent below 2021, heifers are 8 per cent lower and cows are down 24 per cent from 2021 year-to-date.
The volume of cull cows sold through auction markets were lower in 2022 at 112,135 head, which is the lowest annual volume recorded since 2007. Overall numbers for 2022 are down 10 per cent over last year and 9.4 per cent below 2020. The number of beef cows sold in 2022 were up while fewer dairy cows came to market. In 2022, there were 29,333 beef cows sold, up 23.9 per cent from 2021 and 23.2 per cent more than 2020. Dairy breeds saw 82,802 head sold in 2022, down 17.9 per cent from 2021 and 17 per cent fewer than in 2020. The beef cows were up month-to-month over the previous year, but the largest increases were noted in May and November. Dairy cow volumes were down most months but the largest month-over-month declines were noted in January, February and December 2022. Beef cow prices were strong this year and followed the same trend as prior years. During 2022, beef cows averaged $99.12 annually cwt, up 26.7 per cent over 2021 and 35.3 per cent higher than in 2020.
The annual volume of stocker and feeder cattle sold through Ontario auction markets in 2022 is the lowest this century. 2022 saw 230,963 head sold, down 2.7 per cent from 2021, 5.5 per cent below 2020. 2015 was only up by 4.8 per cent in volume over 2022 and is the third lowest volume this century with 2021 in second place. Stocker steers over 700 lb were above year ago prices month-to-month for all of 2022, while the lighter weights started steady to lower with prices not taking off until the spring. Most categories of heifers followed the same pricing trend. All weights and classes peaked in the fall of 2022 and the annual average prices for all weights and classes are the highest seen since 2015. All categories of steers are averaging higher than 2014, but $18.00-$36.00 cwt lower than 2015 at this point. Heifers over 900 lb are above 2014 prices while all other weight categories are lower, with all classes of heifers $20.00-$50.00 cwt below 2015. Lighter volumes and good demand have supported the market in 2022. As mentioned earlier, despite the stronger prices for cattle, record high feed prices and the cost of production are impacting all sectors of the beef industry, and profitability is not where it should be. Hopefully 2023 corrects that. OB
Continued on page 46.
Continued from page 34. – Farm & Food Care Ontario
2022 marked FFCO’s return to on-farm tours. The six tours included a tour for Toronto-based food-influencers and for Ontario dietitians, and four tours for culinary students from colleges across the province with several beef farm stops on the agendas. Participants were surveyed on their knowledge about and perception of Ontario agriculture before and after each tour. When asked about their impression of Ontario agriculture before their tours, 68 per cent responded good or excellent, while the post-tour survey 94 per cent responded their impression of agriculture was good or excellent.
Digital outreach is a vital component of FFCO’s work. Faces Behind Food continues to highlight the diversity of people and career opportunities within the Canadian agri-food system on Facebook and Instagram. Profiles were posted twice weekly, with over 56,000 likes, shares and comments across accounts, and included beef farmers and butchers in 2022.
FarmFood360.ca now hosts 25 virtual reality farm tours, including a beef farm tour, and the three new tours launched in the fall of 2022. All of the tours offer glimpses of agriculture behind the
scenes, which Canadians can access from the comfort of their own homes. A new educator resource was added this year for teachers wanting to use the site.
The Real Dirt on Farming 5th edition was published in 2020. In 2022, FFCO began using paid search ads to amplify the reach of the website. For example, when looking for information on hormones or antibiotic use, visitors were directed to ads promoting www.RealDirtonFarming.ca, to access the information they were looking for.
FFCO and AgScape continued a successful partnership in 2022, offering 11 livestreamed farm tours reaching an audience of 72,944. These field trips gave viewers, including students and teachers, the chance to connect with farmers in real time. Last year, two different beef farms were featured in these tours. FFCO and AgScape will continue to offer these tours throughout 2023 and are looking for farmers interested in hosting them.
In 2021, FFCO expanded its courses to offer virtual training for first responders being called to livestock transportation emergencies including truck rollovers. In 2022, 21 sessions were hosted for 665 first responders across Ontario. With financial support from many partners helping make this possible, including Beef Farmers of Ontario, the project has had great success.
The course covers factors critical to the decision-making processes for accidents involving livestock trailers, including trailer design and the implications for extrication points, animal behavior, laws and regulations, euthanasia protocols, and how to develop response teams. OB
February 22 – Beck McCoy Annual Bull Sale, Milestone, SK
February 22-23 – BFO Annual General Meeting, Delta Hotel Toronto Airport and Conference Centre. Visit www.ontariobeefagm.com to watch!
March 4 – Ontario Simmental Association
Annual Meeting, Peterborough
March 11– Blackbern and Whitewater 12th Annual Charolais Bull Sale, Cobden
March 18 – Fully Loaded Limousin Bull Sale (online)
March 18 – Rollin’ Acres & Whiskey Hollow Charolais Bull Sale, Hanover
March 25 – Cornerview Charolais Bull Sale, Cobden
March 25 – Clarke Family Farms Bull and Heifer Sale, Blenheim
April 1 – Saunders Charolais 18th Annual Bull Sale, Keady
April 1 – 25th Annual Open House and Private Treaty Sale, Smart Limousin, Meaford
April 1 – Source for Quality Bull Sale, Indian River
April 2 – O’Shea Farms Open House and Tag Hereford Sale, Denfield
April 8 – Midwestern Sale, Lucknow
August 2-5 – Canadian Junior Limousin Impact Show, Spencerville
August 4-6 – Canadian Simmental Association Annual Meeting, Ancaster
August 6 – Ontario Limousin Association Annual Meeting, Spencerville
October 21 – Clarke Family Farm Inc and Guests Female Sale, Blenheim
Daryl and Connie Clarke and Family 342 Chatham Street South, Blenheim, Ontario N0P 1A0
Herdsman and Marketing Manager
Hugh M. Ross: 519-365-4026 hugh.clarkeffi@gmail.com
Q: Where’s the Beef? A: It’s in MAINE-ANJOU Offspring
We have both Red and Black Breeding Stock AVAILABLE to help improve your Weaning Weights and Carcass Quality.
Livestock Dealers
University of Guelph Meat Laboratory (Abattoir)
Guelph, Ont.
The entire OBCFPP list can be found on the Agricorp website at www.agricorp.com/en-ca/Programs/ OBCFPP/Pages/Overview.aspx
For more information or to report a late payment (Mon. to Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.):
1-888-247-4999
TTY: 1-877-275-1380
Fax: 519-826-4118
E-mail: contact@agricorp.com
The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of producers’ personal information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
Subscribers to Ontario Beef magazine, the official publication of the Beef Farmers of Ontario, do so on a voluntary basis. By subscribing, subscribers are consenting to have their contact information used for the purposes of receiving the magazine and developing an BFO mailing list.
This mailing list will be used for the distribution of the BFO magazine.
The BFO will not sell, trade or otherwise share its Ontario Beef mailing list under any circumstances. A service may be provided whereby items are submitted to the BFO and mailed internally with the magazine but all materials must be approved by and acceptable to the BFO. In rare instances where external, non-commercial organizations, like the provincial or federal government, wish to use the Ontario Beef mailing list to distribute information, the government must provide their mailing materials in a finished format to BFO and/or its mailing house. BFO will then coordinate the mailing, at the requesting organization’s cost, thus maintaining confidentiality of the list. In cases where the BFO may commission a mailing, the company providing the service is required to sign a mandatory confidentiality agreement.
Subscribers to the Ontario Beef mailing list who wish to have their names removed, should call 519-824-0334 or email bethany@ontariobeef.com. Please allow 15 business days to allow us to update our records accordingly.
BFO’s complete privacy statement, covering areas of information including the electronic update system, Website, membership list and market information can be viewed on its Website at http://www.ontariobeef.com/privacy.asp
Pete Coleman Brantford, ON Cell: 519-865-3453 pete.bridgeview@gmail.com www.qualityseeds.ca 8400 Huntington Road, Vaughan, ON 1-877-856-SEED (7333) • Fax: 905-856-7509
8669 Concession 6 Listowel, ON N4W 3G8
• 519-266-6877 • www.steelheadag.com
Simmental Bulls is our Business & Heifers that can Produce them
Havingthree to four generations on one farm is becoming more common. Each person brings unique values, behaviour and mental and physical capacity to the farm family and operation.
As Cynthia Beck knows, reconciling generational perspectives offers challenges and possibilities. She, her husband and two children operate a grain and cattle farm in Saskatchewan, along with her husband’s parents and his brother’s family.
“The knowledge spread between generations has increased. Our son comes home from his summer job in crop science or from university and makes suggestions that my husband acknowledges he’s not thinking of,” Cynthia says. It takes courage for younger generations to speak up, especially with multiple interwoven relationships and blurred roles.
At 50, Cynthia recently added clinical psychology master’s graduate to her multiple roles including farm business partner, co-worker and
family member. Having experienced postpartum depression as well as serving as a telephone suicide intervention responder, she wanted more education to better help others.
“The impact when roles, finances and transition plans are unclear is apparent in many of those phone calls. The root issue is often feeling no autonomy, no control over their current situation or what the transition plan is going forward,” Cynthia says.
Saturday,
Please
Transition can be a stressful area for all family members. Talking about intergenerational farm challenges around this and other management topics is part of FCC business advisor Annessa Good’s job. She’s noticed that getting clear about the future and documenting it on paper is one of the biggest areas of stress reduction, as it removes ambiguity and guess work.
“It’s all about trying to find the right balance between focusing on the health of the family and the business,” Annessa says.
A third party can also make it easier to talk about the culture of the farm, personal values or fairness. Clarity in these areas makes it easier to discuss compensation and financials, potentially huge stressors that can affect all generations.
In addition to making decisions about the business together, family members can learn how to best navigate difficult situations with each other’s support.
Sometimes, “unlearning” is helpful. For example, a family may share unhealthy coping strategies, such as avoiding conversations or turning to alcohol when stressed. Actively recognizing these behaviours and making positive changes together is a constructive way forward.
“My husband and I are really working with our kids to have more open communication. We’ve tried to normalize talking about our coping strategies, recognizing them, identifying them and actually verbalizing them,” Cynthia says. OB
In 1997, a year before CCIA was formed, a group of producers, consultants and business experts, led by the late Carl Block began to lay the groundwork for an agency that would
Carl, a well-known Saskatchewan cattle producer, was named board chair of the fledgling Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and he was joined by others with a stake in the game. Built by industry for industry – the legacy of CCIA’s earliest pioneers continues today.
To learn more about our proud history and the people who roll up their sleeves for animal health and food safety, visit canadaid.ca.
