CELEBRATING
Beef Business
45
IN PUBLISHING
‘
Saskatchewan’s largest circulated industry magazine Saskatchewan`s Premier Cattle Industry Publication Saskatchewan`s Premiere Cattlecattle Industry March 2018
A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Publication Publication Mail Agreement #40011906
Working for Producers
Contents Cover photo courtesy of Kylie McRae/Moose Creek Red Angus, Kisbey, SK
Industry News 6
WLPIP Tips and Reminders
8
Foreign Trade Prospects Beckon the Livestock Industry
14
Forage Insurance Enhancements for 2018
16
Wildfires: A Wake-up Call for Emergency Preparedness
20
ELDs ‌ Coming to a Truck Near You
22
Ground Beef Gets Tagged for Front-of-Package Labelling
A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) Publication General Manager: Chad MacPherson Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-757-8523 Fax: 306-569-8799 email: ssga@sasktel.net OR ssga.admin@sasktel.net Website: www.skstockgrowers.com
Markets and Trade 28
Strong Demand Should Balance Record Beef Supply in 2018
29
Retail Meat Price Survey
30
Weekly Charts
Communications Manager: Marusia Kaweski Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 (306) 757-8523 (306) 569-8799 (fax) ssgacommunications@sasktel.net
Features 32
Murad Al-Katib: Looking at a Protein Opportunity
36
An Interview with Premier Scott Moe
44
Beef Quality Issues Costing the Industry $200 Million
48
Online Portal to be Launched in 2018
50
Riding out the Vitamin Shortage
51
Where's the Beef? Missing Livestock Files
53
Prairie Provides: Niche Product Branding
56
What the Heck is an AUM?
Beef Business
Subscriptions Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-757-8523 Fax: 306-569-8799 email: ssga.admin@sasktel.net
Science and Production
Subscription Rate: 1 yr $26.50 (GST included) Published 5 times per year Design and Layout: Jackson Designs Candace Schwartz Tel: 306-772-0376 email: cjacksondesigns@gmail.com
Stewardship
Prairie Conservation Action Plan (PCAP) Manager: Carolyn Gaudet Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-352-0472 Fax: 306-569-8799 email: pcap@sasktel.net
Association News, Reports and Events 57
SSGA-OLS: A Winning Partnership
58
Saskatchewan Shorthorn Association Report
60
Saskatchewan Angus Association Report
62
Saskatchewan Bison Association Report
64
Saskatchewan Limousin Association Report
66
Saskatchewan Charolais Association Report
68
Saskatchewan Simmental Association Report
69
SaskMilk Report
70
Saskatchewan Goat Breeders Association Report
72
Beef Industry Gathers for Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference
73
Ottawa Launches Six New Canadian Agriculture Partnerships
74
SSGA Semi-Annual Meeting Resolutions
76
A Report from the SSGA President
77
Calendar of Events
SSGA reserves the right to refuse advertising and to edit manuscripts. Contents of Beef Business may be reproduced with written permission obtained from the SSGA Manager and proper credit given to the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Articles submitted may not be the opinion of the Association. SSGA assumes no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader from this publication based on any and all information provided. Publications Mail Agreement #40011906 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses (covers only) to: Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Box 4752, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4
Contributors Advertisers Index
79
Business Directory
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Follow us on
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facebook.com/skstockgrowers @SK_StockGrowers MARCH 2018
This magazine is printed on paper that is comprised of 50% recycled paper and 25% post-consumer waste. It is acid-free, elemental chlorine-free and is FSC certified
Tara Mulhern Davidson Fonda Froats Jeff Gaye Rae Groeneveld Tom Harrison Kelly Howe Shane Jahnke Marusia Kaweski Les Kroeger
Sheldon Kyle Chad MacPherson Carolyn McCormack Jason Pollock Corbin St. John Joy Smith Betty Wyatt Jeff Yorga
www.skstockgrowers.com | ŠBEEF BUSINESS | 5
Industry News WLPIP Tips and Reminders Calf Price Insurance 2018 Saskatchewan cattle producers are again able to purchase price insurance for their spring-born calves, which are marketed in the fall. Through the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP), producers can purchase protection against an unpredictable downward move in the market. For cow-calf producers the opportunity to purchase this insurance runs from February 1 to May 31, 2018. Coverage for feeder cattle, fed cattle and hogs can be purchased year-round. For a premium, producers can purchase a floor price for cattle approximately 12 to 36 weeks into the future. As the policy enters its final four weeks, cattle producers have the flexibility of submitting a claim. Claims are made when the market price, in one of the final four weeks of the policy, is below the insured price selected by the producer. Participating in WLPIP? Here are some reminders and tips to help make your life easier
1. Know your risk tolerance: Half
2.
of the risk management battle is knowing the price at which you wish to establish that protection. Having a target price for the coverage you want to purchase can make your decisions easier and faster. That way you can take a quick glance at the daily premium and carry on with your day. Set a reminder for yourself: Coverage is available for purchase Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (MST, Mountain Standard Time). Sign up to receive emails from WLPIP. These emails are sent on the days that coverage and settlements are offered. You can also set an alarm on your phone or even write on a sticky note to help you to remember to look at the premium tables, which are posted at 2:00 p.m. at www.wlpip.ca.
3. Log into your web account
4.
beforehand: If you purchase only once a year or maybe not even every year, logging into your web account before the purchase hours is a good idea to make sure your username and password work and that you can access your account when you’re trying to make a purchase by the deadline. Have a paper copy of a purchase or claim form on hand: If you are experiencing technical difficulties or get stuck somewhere that you can’t access the website, you can always complete and sign a purchase or claim form. These forms can be accessed at www.wlpip.ca and can be submitted to your local Crop Insurance office.
Deciding When to Buy Insurance Marketing livestock is hardly straightforward and only through hindsight do we actually know whether the pricing decision we made (or didn’t make) on one particular day was the best/ worst thing we did that year. Between the futures and cash, supply and demand and currency and grains, it’s no wonder that the many moving parts of livestock pricing make marketing an emotional and financial roller coaster. So, how can you ease the stress of what is quite possibly one of the most important financial decisions of the year? Here are a few thoughts from WLPIP on what you might do to alleviate some anguish in the 2018 marketing year. Know your break-even price Remember that you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Calculating an accurate “measurement” of your cost-perpound of calf, feeder or fat animal sold is vital in knowing how many dollars you will need in return and what you can expect for profit/loss based on current market expectations. Comparing your break-even to current WLPIP coverage can help to determine the cost-benefit of potentially
using the program and will make your action plan more objective. Cover fixed costs WLPIP doesn’t always offer coverage that will insure a desired profit level, or even in some cases, a break-even. As a Plan B, it may be wise to know how much money per pound you would need to cover direct costs or service your debts and keep you in a positive cash flow situation. Not only can this help you sleep at night, it can also improve relationships with financial institutions. It may also help in deciding whether to purchase top-level coverage or lower coverage with a cheaper premium. Protect against a ‘disaster’ When looking at various options on a premium table, WLPIP offers a range of coverage levels, with the lower levels being offered at a significantly reduced premium amount from top coverage. In the event of a market disaster, such as a border closure where prices take a drastic fall such coverage may still prove to be effective in managing your bottom line. Compare price forecasts Having an idea of where you think the market is headed can help you evaluate whether the timing is right to take action (Will WLPIP coverage go higher? Will premiums get cheaper?). Since WLPIP coverage fluctuates with current market conditions, monitoring the program frequently can ensure you don’t miss out on a desirable index and will give you an idea of when WLPIP coverage levels may have peaked. Remember though, that the Canadian/US exchange rate also impacts coverage. Have a plan! Risk tolerance is specific to your operation, so for some a risk management plan is hard and fast with rules. Others may have a couple of figures written on a napkin. The point is that the events that occur when a market seems unshakable are those that the industry will talk about continued on page 12
6
| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com
MARCH 2018
ARE YOU A LIVESTOCK OPERATOR ? E xpected livestock identification and traceability regulatory amendments will require all livestock operations to identify their premises with their local provincial or territorial government premises registry. Livestock operators can PREPARE in two easy steps 1. Contact your local PREMISES REGISTRY with your legal land description to confirm or acquire a valid premises identification (PID) number for your livestock site 2. Contact CANADIAN CATTLE IDENTIFICATION AGENCY to confirm or acquire a Canadian Livestock Tracking System database account, and enter your valid PID into it, by toll-free telephone 1-877-909-2333 or email info@canadaid.ca
FIND your local PREMISES REGISTRY BRITISH COLUMBIA: 1-888-221-7141 ALBERTA: 310-FARM (3276) SASKATCHEWAN: 1 - 8 6 6 - 4 5 7 - 2 3 7 7 MANITOBA: 1-204-945-7684 ONTARIO: 1-888-247-4999 QUEBEC: 1-866-270-4319 NEW BRUNSWICK: 1-506-453-2109 NOVA SCOTIA: 1-800-279-0825 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: 1-866-PEI-FARM NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR: 1-709-637-2088 YUKON: 1-867-667-3043 MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 7
Industry News Foreign Trade Prospects Beckon the Livestock Industry “It is hard to imagine a time when there has been more trade policy talks going on when they are vital to the beef sector,” stated John Masswohl, director of government and international relations with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Indeed, Canada’s plate seems overflowing with trade agreement opportunities. Last fall, the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) went into effect reducing tariffs and opening up competitive EU markets. Now, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with 11 countries in the AsiaPacific will be signed in early March. Canada has been renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the US and Mexico. These agreements come as good news to Canada’s beef industry which exported a record 622,490 tonnes of beef and cattle valued at $3.6 billion in 2016. Having been reliant on the US for 75 per cent of its beef exports, the future looks bright for Canadian beef in emerging markets in Asia and Europe. Long Road to the CPTPP The road to the CPTPP has been rocky at best and was almost on the verge of collapse late last year. “The TPP had an agreement reached in the fall of 2015,” explained Masswohl. “All 12 countries sent representatives to New Zealand to sign the agreement and ratify the timetable.” The deal originally included Canada, the US, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. However, the US withdrew from the agreement a year ago. Japan led the push for the remaining 11 countries to hold consultations to continue the trade agreement as the TPP11. “There is hope that the US may wish to join at a later point,” he added. South Korea is another
8
prospective partner that would be keen to join. As these talks neared completion, Canada also had some eleventh-hour reconsiderations leading to further consultations. Finally, in late January 2018, a CPTPP agreement was reached. “When you look at the Asia-Pacific market,” stated federal Minister of International Trade Francois-Philipe Champagne, “what we have achieved there is to open up a new market of about 400 million people. So this is really about positioning Canada for future growth, positioning Canada to create jobs – because, obviously, trade relates to jobs. It’s all about people in the end.” The CPTPP deal accounts for 15 per cent of the global GDP and is expected to generate US$37.3 billion for all of the partners. The CPTPP will give Canadian agriculture and agri-food products preferential market access to all CPTPP countries and provide new market access opportunities. This is good news for Saskatchewan. “Agriculture exports make up about half of the exports from Saskatchewan,” said Premier Scott Moe. Canada’s beef industry will benefit from the reduced tariffs in a region where there is a fast-growing consumer demand for beef. Two of the top five countries for Canada’s beef exports – Japan and Mexico – are part of the CPTPP. “Japan is the big prize in this,” stated Masswohl. For the beef sector, the reduction in tariffs in highly protected markets like Japan gives Canadian beef an edge against more aggressive competitors in the region like Australia and New Zealand. Canadian beef had been subject in Japan to a 38.5 per cent tariff on fresh, chilled and frozen beef which now drops to 9 per cent. Canada exports about $100 million in beef to Japan. “We wanted to open up markets for our farmers here because we know in some countries like Japan, the tariffs are pretty high,” Champagne stated, speaking in Regina during a cross-country tour to promote the agreement.
| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com
NAFTA’s Cloud of Uncertainty The road to the NAFTA agreement has been no less bumpy than the TPP. Trade relations with Canada’s largest trading partner, the US, was thrown into uncertainty when the new US presidential administration called for a renegotiation of the agreement. “Saskatchewan is one of the most trade-dependent provinces in one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world,” Chris Dekker, president and CEO of Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP) emphasized the importance of Canada-US trade relations. “The US is the biggest trade partner because of its proximity. Half of the production in Saskatchewan is shipped to the US,” he added. The province’s new premier has also made foreign trade a priority, even setting up a ministry devoted to export and developing trade markets. “The ongoing and longer-term effort that we need to always keep our eye on here in the province of Saskatchewan is increasing the value of our exports. This is what we do in Saskatchewan,” said Premier Scott Moe. “As agriculture exports make up about half of the exports from Saskatchewan, we’re watching very closely and engaging with the renegotiation of NAFTA with the United States.” NAFTA remains a crucial agreement for the beef industries on both sides of the border. “The NAFTA renegotiation is critically important,” Dekker added. Canada exports $2.3 billion to the US, with $215 million in cattle marketed mostly tariff-free. It comes as no surprise that the Canadian cattle industry has taken a position of supporting NAFTA and its cattle industry provisions as is. The US cattle industry feels “exactly the same way as Canadian cattle producers,” said Colin Woodall, Senior Vice President for Government continued on page 10
MARCH 2018
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MARCH 2018
OBI LIVESTOCK LTD. Mark Holowaychuk 403.896.4990 Roger Peters 403.828.9815 www.cattlemanagement.ca
Garner & Lori Deobald Brian & Kylie Hawkins T 306-677-2589 C 306-677-7777 g.deobald@sasktel.net www.cedarleafarms.com
306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 9
Industry News Foreign Trade cont. from pg. 8 Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in the US “We want to preserve NAFTA as it is. We have been very clear with President Trump and his administration that, while they go forward and have these negotiations, we do not want this touching the beef and livestock provisions because we think they work very well.” The first round of the renegotiation talks started in August 2017. Subsequent rounds proceeded quickly each month. Masswohl pointed out that the negotiations actually are following two tracks. The first involves the technical modernization of the agreement to account for aspects like modern technololgies. “That’s actually proceeding very well,” he said. The second stream has been the one hitting the newspapers. It involves the renegotiation of provisions, which have encountered challenges. There have been mixed messages coming out of the US. “The frustrating element is the Trump administration,” said Dekker. The big question mark, says Masswohl, is what will happen after March once Mexico and the US turn to election campaigns later in the year. A lot of the uncertainty rests with how the US perceives progress in the talks by March. They could feel that progress has been made and would be willing to resume the negotiations after the congressional elections or they might walk away from the table. “In the meantime, we continue to be at the negotiation sessions,” Masswohl said, Meanwhile, the NAFTA talks have created a lot of uncertainty in markets on both sides of the border. “I think that some of the uncertainty that these talks have brought about has definitely had a negative impact on our industry. And we want to finalize this,” Woodall captured the mood in the cattle markets. “It is just the uncertainty that’s out there that has everybody nervous.”
That’s what we have right now. Not knowing exactly how everything is going to shake out with NAFTA,” Woodall added. “Let’s get this wrapped up quickly because as soon as we do, we know that we can shake that off and continue the good relationship that we’ve had in the beef and cattle trade with both Canada and Mexico.” As for the future of the NAFTA agreement, Masswohl sees several possible scenarios. In the most optimal scenario, NAFTA talks are successful, the agreement is modernized and the trade relationship continues and grows. But if the US withdraws from NAFTA after March, “there is a lot of uncertainty about what the process is,” Masswohl said. He notes that it is unclear what authority – the presidential administration or another – would be able to take the US out of NAFTA. The lack of clarity could lead to court action and more delays.
The collapse of the NAFTA agreement would fundamentally impact the North continued on page 12
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“The fundamental for us is that we know that the markets don’t like uncertainty.
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According to Masswohl, Canada-US trade would not be cut off without NAFTA, but there would be an effect on trade in live cattle and beef. In another scenario, trade could be regulated by deferring to the previous Canada-US trade agreement. If the US rejects this agreement, both countries would trade under WTO regulations. The US beef going to Canada would have a 26.5 per cent tariff, while Canada would pay a rate of $0.01 per kg for cattle and $0.044 per kg on beef. “Will the US think this is fair and will they take a step for the cattle industry to change that equation?” Masswohl surmised. In any scenario, a trade disruption would be problematic, said Masswohl, “what does it do for investment and the economic climate?”
| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com
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MARCH 2018
15
th
Annual
th 49 North
of the
April 2
2018
Bull Sale
At the Ranch 1:00 PM Halbrite Sk
Offering 80 Yearlings & 15 Two Year Olds
Sale Manager
306-584-7937 Helge By - 306-536-4261 Candace By - 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com www.bylivestock.com
Craig & Tricia Wilgenbusch
(306) 458-7482
Brenda Wilgenbusch
(306) 458-2688
View the catalogue and videos online at
www.wilgenbuschcharolais.com
Industry News Foreign Trade cont. from pg. 10 American beef industry. “We think in the cattle business that it would be catastrophic,” Woodall stated about the impact for the US. “It is about one third of the total value that we get from trade agreements right now. That would be a significant hit to us in our bottom line as US producers.” Unlike Canada, which has been pursuing trade deals around the globe, the US has rejected some trade agreements. “We really don’t have any other options. We don’t have any other markets at this point in time that would take a lot of that beef that would be sitting here if it wasn’t going to Canada and Mexico,” Woodall stated. Meanwhile, Canada, which has traditionally been heavily reliant on the US for trade, has been trekking the globe to seek out other markets. “My job as the international trade minister is to open up new markets,” Champagne explained. Both politicians and the Canadian cattle industry have also been busy lobbying their US counterparts in support of NAFTA. “What Canada can do is have good relationships with US cattle organizations at the national and state level and place a high degree of importance on meeting with them regularly so they understand how important trade is to them and us,” Masswohl stressed the value of keeping communications open with our closest neighbour. The US cattle industry has also stepped up their lobbying efforts. “In fact, just last week, we had our annual convention where our membership renewed our commitment to preserving NAFTA and doing everything we need to make sure our ability to trade with Canada both ways is preserved,” Woodall added. “Canada has been an extremely important trading partner for us, in beef and live animals, and the same with Mexico. So, we want to make sure that NAFTA is preserved and that these talks are wrapped up as soon as possible and we can get on with life.” The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the principle US cattle lobby group, has taken this message to the
12
WLPIP cont. from pg. 6 White House, the US trade representatives office, the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture and the United States Congress. In the matter of trade, the beef industries in Canada and the US are on the same page. From the Canadian beef industry’s perspective, “we like NAFTA the way it is and we want to keep it that way,” explained Masswohl. “Canada’s beef sector has been focused on getting markets back after the shut down and has been on the defensive,” Masswohl noted. The future is bright with protein opportunities in emerging markets for Saskatchewan’s cattle industry. “Finally, it is on the offensive and there are brand new opportunities,” he added. B
for months or even years. The bottom line is that it is critical for a producer to, at the very minimum, know their cost of production and a break-even price that they need to receive. As you start to get your books in order for the upcoming tax season, sharpen your pencil and figure out your costs. B We can help At Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation we can help get you started or facilitate the purchase of policies. If you have any questions or need additional support, please contact us at 1-888-935-0000 or visit saskcropinsurance.com.
Come early to view the bulls and join us for lunch at noon.
6th. Annual “Maine Difference” Bull Sale
April 7, 2018 1:00 pm. Dryland Cattle Trading Corp. Veteran, AB THE LARGEST ONE IRON 2 YR. OLD MAINE ANJOU BULL SALE IN CANADA
On Offer 45 Purebred & Percentage Maine Anjou
Two Year Old Bulls & 300 hd. Open Palpated Maine X Breeding Heifers
For more information call Rick 403-575-5521 or Trevor 403-575-5237
| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com
MARCH 2018
Industry News Forage Insurance Enhancements for 2018 Coming off of one of the driest years in recent memory, questions are being asked about the potential for hay and pasture production in 2018. Subsoil moisture was drawn on greatly this past summer to sustain many forage acres. However, there is legitimate concern about how the dry season may impact 2018 forage production if precipitation is not received during winter and spring. The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) would like to encourage forage and livestock producers to take a look at the various insurance options available to help offset losses on forage crops should another dry growing season be experienced. Two years ago, enhancements were made to SCIC’s forage insurance following meetings with industry and again this year there are additional enhancements to improve the program and make it more useful for producers. Whether forages are grown for feed, sale or seed SCIC has programs and options to reduce the risk should losses occur on those crops. Coverage for fire on pasture One of the key improvements for 2018 is the addition of fire insurance on pastureland. Last fall over 88,000 acres suffered damages as a result of wildfires. A large part of the burnt land was pastureland and producers expressed concern about the lost productivity on that pasture. There has not been an option to access insurance for fire damage on the pasture, but now producers will be able access coverage. Producers who enroll in the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program will have year-round coverage for fire on pasture, when they purchase that insurance. When a producer enrolls in the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program they are now covered for two types of losses. A lack of rainfall will continue to be compensated as the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program protects pastureland in the event seasonal precipitation is below the long-term
14
average. The second cause of loss now covered is fire on that same insured pastureland. If there is a fire that damages the pasture, producers will be able to access compensation equal to the insured value per acre. Additional changes are coming to the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program in 2018. There is a new weighting option that is being added to this program. The producer now has a greater choice in how precipitation each month is calculated. This provides a greater opportunity to better customize coverage to best suit the growing season for their specific forage variety and grazing management on their pasture. The Forage Rainfall Insurance Program is based on historical weather data pulled from 131 weather stations located across the province. Producers do not have to register a claim. Claims are triggered when the April to July seasonal precipitation falls below the long term normal for the selected station based on monthly weightings selected by the producer. Weightings are selected by the producer who determines the percentage of precipitation needed in April, May, June and July that will produce the optimum forage crop (See Monthly Precipitation Table below). The Forage Rainfall Insurance Program has proven to be effective in recent years. In 2017, benefits were provided to participating producers, helping offset the reduced grazing capacity from the dry conditions experienced throughout the summer. On average, two-thirds of producers who participated in the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program received benefits last year. Monthly Precipitation Weighting Options Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 New Option for 2018
| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com
Forage restoration benefit The Forage Insurance Program for hay and alfalfa seed has a new enhancement in 2018. A forage restoration benefit is being introduced. This enhancement will compensate producers who lose insured acres of established hay or alfalfa seed due to prolonged flooding. Compensation will be provided on insured forage acres if they are no longer considered established as a result of flooding. This enhancement adds to the comprehensive coverage already available for growers of hay crops including alfalfa, grass, clover and greenfeed. Through the Forage Insurance Program, a claim is triggered when there is a shortfall between the yield guarantee and the actual forage production for the year. The insured yield is based on the producer’s long-term individual forage production. By providing individual coverage, each farm’s forage insurance reflects the conditions on their farm and the management of their forage acres. Producers update their forage production information annually, which keeps their coverage current and reflects the conditions on their farm. The Forage Establishment Benefit Option is available to protect newly-seeded forage acres, intended for hay, grazing or seed production against the risk of an establishment failure. This stand alone option is not linked to any yield-loss insurance. This option can also be selected for forage acres seeded between October 15 and June 20. However, acres grazed in the year of seeding are not eligible for coverage. The Forage Diversification Option is available for any forage feed crops that are not insurable under the
April 30% 10% 10% 20%
May 30% 40% 30% 40%
June 30% 40% 30% 40%
July 10% 10% 30% 0%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
MARCH 2018
Industry News 2017 ($ / tonne) 113
2018 ($ / tonne) 162
2018 / 2017 143%
Alfalfa / Grass
106
139
131%
Grass
106
119
112%
Greenfeed
92
119
129%
Sweetclover
92
104
113%
Dehy
35
35
100%
Crop Alfalfa
basic forage insurance program. This is an area yield program. Coverage and any claim calculations are based on insured barley acres in the risk zone. Corn Heat Unit Program SCIC is continuing to expand the options for growers to customize their coverage. Another way producers can achieve this is through the Corn Heat Unit Program. The number of weather stations used for the Corn Heat Unit Program is expanding from 16 to 131. This will allow the Corn Heat Unit Program to be expanded across Saskatchewan, responding to producers growing the crop in new areas of the province and giving them the opportunity to select a weather station that better reflects the conditions on the farm. Another improvement for the Corn Heat Unit Program is the coverage guarantee is going to be based on the long-term average heat units for each weather station. When the number of heat units at the selected weather station does not meet the long-term average, benefits will begin to be calculated. By using the longterm heat unit average for each weather station, producers’ corn coverage will be more reflective of the conditions in their specific area. The Corn Heat Unit Program also provides coverage for frost damage to corn during the growing season. SCIC is adjusting the temperature at which compensation kicks in if there is a frost. Previously, compensation would not be paid until there is a temperature of -2 Celsius, recorded at the weather station. It was
MARCH 2018
determined there is damage occurring to leaf tissue at -1 Celsius, which can hurt the feed and silage potential of corn grown for forage. The temperature at which SCIC will pay for frost damage to corn is now -1 Celsius. Forage insurance works SCIC’s forage insurance program is an affordable way to manage production risks as governments cover 60 per cent of the premium cost. Overall, since 2000, the Forage Insurance Program has paid over $2 for every dollar of customer premium collected. Forage insurance coverage has gone up in 2018 due to the impact of a tightening forage supply after the dry conditions of 2017 (See Crops Table above). We all know it gets busy in the spring and many decisions need to be made on the farm and/or ranch. Now is a great time to take a look at SCIC’s forage insurance and see how it can work for your hay, grazing and feed acres. B If you want more information about SCIC’s forage insurance, visit your local Crop Insurance office, call 1-888-935-0000 or visit saskcropinsurance.com. The deadline to apply for forage coverage is March 31, 2018.
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 15
Industry News Wildfires: A Wake-up Call for Emergency Preparedness The wildfires in southern Saskatchewan last fall drew attention to the need for emergency preparedness for rural communities in the province. In the aftermath in the months that followed the take-home message for rural communities has been preparation. Preparation saves lives and makes more effective use of limited resources. The first week in May is Emergency Preparedness Week providing an upcoming opportunity for individuals as well as communities of all sizes to review their preparations for emergencies and fire safety. Emergency management in Canada is a shared responsibility between individuals and each level of government. The Ministry of Government Relations is responsible for coordinating, developing, promoting and implementing Saskatchewan’s policies and programs on emergency planning, coordination and services. Emergency management involves four key functions: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. “We follow the best practices of emergency management in North America,” stated Ray Unrau, Director of Operations and the Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry’s Emergency Management and Fire Safety Branch (EMFS). He identified the four levels of authorities involved in emergency preparedness. The federal level provides the legislation and background support and some physical supports when needed. The third, the provincial level, primarily supports the municipal level. “The bottom level is the expectation of preparedness on the individual level,” he added. Ground zero in any emergency is the local level. “All emergencies start at the local level,” said Unrau. It is individuals at the local level who call 911. The local authority is responsible for deciding whether an event is an emergency, which is made clear in the Emergency Planning Act of 1989. Municipalities are expected to have an emergency plan in place and an emergency planning committee along with bylaws to support the plan. 16
The EMFS is able to assist communities with their emergency planning and training. “We do a really good job of making sure that the training elements and the planning elements that are required for local communities to plan are available,” said Unrau. Saskatchewan is divided into different districts with an Emergency Services Officer (ESO) located in each. This officer connects with local communities to offer training and planning. “Most of our training is low to no cost,” he said. To get an emergency plan started, a community can reach out to their district ESO. “That staff member from the EMFS has available to them a whole menu of training options that can be delivered depending on what the community needs,” Unrau noted. For example, there is a two-day basic emergency management course that covers the basics of what is included in an emergency plan. There is another course on how to manage an emergency operations centre. “In terms of plan development we have a nine-step template that we use and make available to communities,” he said. A community can follow the nine steps and have an emergency plan that is standardized in the province of Saskatchewan. Part of this nine-step process is to determine what kind of vulnerabilities exist in the communities and then to develop a plan to address these needs based on best practices. “We are using the incident command system (ICS),” he said. “That really is the best practice, the standard that we are basing all of our activities on.” Unrau pointed out that the ICS model is helpful because it is used in other provinces – Manitoba, BC and Alberta. This increases efficiency when asking for help from other provinces. As part of the emergency planning process, the local municipality is responsible for having pre-determined triggers to call for provincial assistance,
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through the Emergency Services Officer. It is an advantage for a community to work with the province, which has access to all the resources available through ministries, Crowns and agencies. The ESO is the portal for all of the province’s resources. For example, in a slow-moving event like a flood, local authorities can work through the province which can arrange to move cattle to community pastures. The ESO can be involved in the planning or operational phase of an event. In the case of a community that finds itself overwhelmed by an emergency that is volatile and developing quickly, there is a provincial emergency mechanism to support the needs of this emergency. “Communities that find themselves overwhelmed can reach out and they can get a moderate amount of support in terms of fire trucks and firefighting support from our organization,” Unrau explained. However, he encourages small communities to develop mutual aid agreements with surrounding communities. Neighbouring communities can assist each other with resources in times of emergencies. This sharing arrangement proves useful in rural regions where depopulation has made it difficult financially for RMs to plan resources and to deal with disasters on their own. “For a number of years, we have been very supportive of the idea of district operation centres having multiple communities come together and share the planning and there are some examples of that going on right now,” Unrau described. The southern Saskatchewan wildfires also illustrated that disasters know no borders. “There are committees that are set up to deal with the emergency plans and planning needs for those cross-border issues,” he said, noting that Saskatchewan has a pretty good relationship with other provinces in providing support for cross border emergencies. continued on page 18
MARCH 2018
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Industry News Emergency Preparedness cont. from pg. 16 If an emergency means that the public has to be evacuated, as happened during the wildfires, local emergency plans also need to write in contingency plans for public evacuations. In any emergency, the preservation of life is paramount. For example, muster points are a best practice and can be identified. However, Unrau cautions that the way a disaster develops could negate some of these points and communities should be prepared to alter these plans. “If a municipality decided that they needed to evacuate based on their plan, then what they can do is declare a state of emergency,” Unrau stated about the evacuation process. “That will enable them to actually enact that plan.” If a community runs out of resources to evacuate, it can reach out to the province. In addition, once communities have an emergency plan, they should be doing public education to inform their community members and relay preparedness information, such as evacuation routes. “If they do have the evacuation plan,” he commented. “then part of that best practice for having an emergency planning program is to make sure that their municipality and their citizens understand what that means to them.” “In Saskatchewan, neighbours help neighbours,” Unrau said about volunteers assisting in emergencies. He notes that a community’s emergency plan can also include how to accept and direct volunteers. For example, hundreds of volunteers came out to fight the southern wildfires last fall. At an emergency, “we really want to emphasize the importance of the incident command system,” said Unrau, which allows local authorities and fire chiefs to systematically check resources and dispatch them effectively. Part of the 72-hour preparedness campaign in May focuses on taking personal responsibility to prepare for an emergency. The campaign encourages
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families to prepare kits that include medications, water and other items so that they can be self-sufficient for 72 hours during a disaster. In addition to these personal preparations, ranchers may consider developing emergency plans for the evacuation of their families and animals during fires and floods and to deal with other emergencies. There are training courses like farm First Aid and CPR that assist farm families to be self-sufficient. One feature that the 72-hour campaign promotes is having a family reunification plan. Family members could be scattered in different locations when a disaster strikes – with children in school, some members working on remote farm property and others at jobs in town. The plan would address how they would communicate and get back together. Unrau stressed that having a plan helps people make better decisions once they have to deal with a disaster. Unrau drew attention to the existence of the SaskAlert app that is part of the family reunification plan. It can provide information during an emergency. Local emergency planning committees can send messages through it to the community about an event. The app also provides weather reports, boil water advisories and other vital information for emergency preparedness. While disasters like wildfires cannot be foreseen, rural communities do have help and resources available to prepare for them. “We would love to come alongside local authorities and help them with planning and help them connect to resources that they didn’t know they have or help them organize resources that they do have but just have difficulty organizing,” Unrau added. B
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Emergency Management Resources The EMFS offers a menu of training courses from creating an emergency plan, to radio operations training among many others. Programs and training dates are available on their website or by contacting their office.
• List of emergency management courses
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/ residents/environment-publichealth-and-safety/emergency%20 management/emergencymanagement-and-fire-safety-courses • How to prepare for an emergency for farmers and landowners https://www.saskatchewan.ca/ residents/environment-public-healthand-safety/disaster-prevention/farmerand-landowner-disaster-prevention • Emergency Management Plan template http://publications.gov.sk.ca/ documents/313/98205-Nine%20 Steps%20for%20Emergency%20 Plan%20Development-201403.pdf • Emergency Preparedness for Farm Animals https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/ rsrcs/pblctns/frm-nmls/index-en.aspx
MARCH 2018
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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 19
Industry News ELDs … Coming to a Truck Near You Late last year the federal government announced it will be introducing the mandatory use of electronic logging devices or ELDs. Transport trucks will have to be fitted with the new technology by 2020. This change to transport regulations is expected to have far-reaching implications for the livestock transport sector. The livestock industry in general could also be facing some unexpected consequences. An ELD is a recording-only technology used to track the time a commercial transportation vehicle is operating. It is connected to the vehicle’s engine and uses location information to automatically track a vehicle’s movement. It is also used to track, collect and record electronic data on a driver’s hours of service compliance. By proposing these changes, the federal government intends to bring the Canadian trucking industry in line with regulations enacted in the US. “This is about creating a level playing field for all companies in North America,” said Susan Ewart, executive director of the Saskatchewan Trucking Association. By tying the technology to hours of service, the government also hopes to close loopholes for violations. “This is the first step in addressing an antiquated system that can easily be violated,” she added. The ELDs replace paper logbooks, which federal regulators say are a dated and easily manipulated method of tracking a driver’s hours of service. The ELDs will help the companies enforce hours of service. There will be penalties if the electronic logging is not filled out correctly. The regulation changes are being touted as having several benefits such as improving road safety. The changes will make the Canadian federal hours of service regulations consistent with the science of fatigue and fatigue management principles. One of the goals is to reduce the number of accidents
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involving tired drivers. “Hours of service regulations govern the safe operation of a vehicle and safety is the number one priority of the trucking industry,” Ewart added. In December 2017, the Saskatchewan Trucking Association voiced its support for the proposed federal ELD mandate. Nicole Sinclair, a policy analyst for the STA, says that a lot of Saskatchewan trucking companies already use ELDs by choice. “They are great for safety,” she stated. The regulation will apply to approximately 170 companies that are regulated federally. This will not affect companies that operate under the Saskatchewan Hours of Service Legislation. The STA wants the provincial government to support mandated ELDs. The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), the federal advocacy group comprised of provincial associations, also supports the proposed changes. In fact, it has been advocating for the mandated use of the technology for some time. “ELDs are going to ensure optimum compliance with hours of service regulation, which is going to reduce commercial vehicle collisions related to fatigue and cognitive driver distraction,” stated Stephen Laskowski, CTA president. The CTA issued a submission supporting the mandating of ELDs, but they identified 10 specific areas that they feel need more attention from Transport Canada. The US has already introduced regulations for ELDs into its transport regulations in 2016 and concerns are being raised. Sinclair sees concerns stemming from the way the US trucking industry is regulated. “Trucking is different in the US, the federal government controls all of the US,” she added. “But in Canada there are provincial as well as federal regulations.” However, the US cattle industry is very uneasy about the implications of ELDs for their sector. Colin Woodall, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs for the
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National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, has identified some key issues that need to be addressed in the ELD discussions. “Our concerns with the electronic logging devices, these ELDs, is that it does not take into consideration the perishable nature of hauling cattle. That has been our biggest concern,” Woodall stated. At the crux of the US concern are the hours of service. Transporters want to ensure they have enough driving hours reflected in the ELDs to get their cattle to market. US drivers are permitted about 10-12 hours of driving time, which the livestock industry says is not enough to accommodate animal movement. Woodall explained that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is calling for an exemption of the first 150 miles of a trip and they are also asking for loading time and waiting time for animals not to be counted against the driving hours. “So, if anybody operates in that 150 miles, they don’t have to worry about hours of service,” he explained. “If they go outside of that area, then the hours of service starts when they cross the line.” Another key concern, says Woodall is animal welfare. “Of course, the main reason is animal welfare to make sure those animals aren’t sitting there in a parking lot on the side of the road somewhere,” he said. For producers there is also the bottom line. “Then of course there is the economic impact of getting them to market as quickly as possible too,” Woodall added. Woodall makes clear that the cattle industry is not opposed to the ELD itself, but it is about the hours of service restrictions that are tied to the technology’s implementation. “When you step back and look at it, it is not really the electronic logging device itself, it is the restrictions on the hours of service that make it hard on us in the livestock industry,” he pointed out. At the same time, US livestock producers have been lobbying for a longer implementation period.
MARCH 2018
Industry News
In comparison, it is still premature to worry in Canada. The proposed regulations have to come into effect and there is expected to be a two-year implementation period to become consistent with what is happening in the US. Brady Stadnicki, Policy Analyst for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, shares US cattle producers’ concerns that the transport regulations need to take into consideration the type of goods being carried. “There needs to be a recognition of what is being transported,” he said. The nature of transporting large live animals like cattle means the single approach of the proposed ELD regulations is not very feasible for perishable agricultural goods. “The ELDs are not practical at all for the livestock industry,” added Jess Blair, Operations Manager for Gibson International Carriers in Moose Jaw. Canada’s cattle industry are also worried that the proposed regulations do not address common issues that drivers experience. At issue is having driving hours begin at loading. Loading animals can be unpredictable and some animals can be very uncooperative, setting drivers back by hours. The welfare of the animals is always at the forefront for drivers. “In Canada, animal welfare is the top concern. There are one million animals being transported east and west in Canada and south to the US,” Stadnicki said. What the livestock industry is finding is that the infrastructure of break stops for humans and animals does not match up with the ELD regulations. “The health and welfare of animals is not taken into consideration with ELDs,” said Blair. Woodall comments, “If somebody parks a truck on the side of the road, do we have dead cattle? Also, they have to find someplace to unload. Either set up a pen on the side of the road or a local livestock barn. Then you have the additional wear and tear on the animal. Also, you have a biosecurity concern. So, there are a lot of potential issues.”
MARCH 2018
Compounding the issue could be available trucking capacity, which is an issue in Canada. Woodall agrees this is an added concern. “We’d have to have more trucks and more drivers. We would have to have those staged at different places. Logistics would be a nightmare if you were going to unload from one trailer into another trailer somewhere in between.” The consequences of the ELD implementation is yet to be seen in the US and could be some time before impacts are felt in Canada. Woodall noted that some of the long-term consequences could have an economic impact on beef producers. The consequences “are yet to be seen but we are already seeing some financial consequences,” he stated. “We have seen several packers who sent out notices that they are going to be putting surcharges on loads. We saw some news out of California that they are going to start docking the price of cattle to take into account the need for extra drivers and the additional need to get cattle to market, so we know there are financial issues already starting to pop up.” There are other potential issues. Producers could be facing limited markets because trucks might be reconsidering making some of the long-distance runs, which could become too costly with extra drivers and more breaks. This means that those selling cattle could lose their buyers. “We’ve heard that too,” said Woodall. “A lot of people won’t be making the runs that they do right now. Cow-calf producers, in particular, selling feeder animals may lose buyers, and may lose marketing opportunities as well.” Transport companies will also feel an economic pinch. In Canada, they will have to shoulder the costs of installing the new ELD technology as well as to train drivers and staff in its operation. This could get expensive. For example, a stand-alone ELD that monitors just hours of service starts at around $300 and increases with additional features.
Given the US experience with ELD implementation, Woodall cautions the Canadian cattle industry. “There has to be some exemptions here. While we know there is going to be continued efforts to migrate toward new technology – log books or anything else,” he said, “that technology has to come with the understanding that they need to change rules and regulations in order to accommodate something like our concerns with trailers of live animals.” The U.S Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced in late November that it will grant agricultural industries a 90-day waiver for a mandate requiring the use of ELDs in place of paper logs for commercial trucks. The waiver will give the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration time to consider the exemption requests from the livestock industry. But beginning April 1, 2018 trucks without ELDs will be taken out of service. In Canada, those in the livestock transport industry have their own questions. For example, the transportation infrastructure does not support the proposed requirements for rest stops for trucks carrying livestock. For example, on the east-west route across Canada the proposed changes would not give sufficient hours to reach rest points to feed and water animals. Driving times can be further slowed by loading times and poor weather. So far, few livestock transporters are rushing to convert to ELDs. The introduction of the new technology tied to hours of service opens up many issues that will need to be addressed for the livestock transport industry. B
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Industry News Ground Beef Gets Tagged for Front-of-Package Labelling Ground beef may soon be carrying a retail consumer warning label and this has the province’s beef industry very concerned. Regulations amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Nutrition Symbols, Other Labelling Provisions, Partially Hydrogenated Oils and Vitamin D) were posted in the Canada Gazette Part I on February 10, 2018. These changes are part of the government’s Healthy Eating Strategy, which also includes revising Canada’s Food Guide and restricting the marketing of food and beverages to children. The Healthy Eating Strategy has set its sights on fat, sugars and salt. Health Canada has identified saturated fat, sodium and sugars as “nutrients of concern”. According to Health Canada, this nutrient trio is associated with the increased risk of chronic disease and dietary survey data indicates that Canadians consume them in excess of recommended limits. Front-of-package (FOP) labelling will be triggered if the saturated fat, sodium and sugars in pre-packaged foods represent 15 per cent of the daily value (DV) per reference amount. The bar has been set pretty high for this labelling system. For example, sodium under this FOP labelling system is stricter than the 2016 targets set by Health Canada in 2010 for processed foods. For some meat products, the sodium threshold of 15 per cent daily value is unattainable. In fact, it could compromise food safety. The proposed changes do not require single ingredient foods like meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruit to carry a Nutrition Facts table and are excluded from FOP labelling. However, the regulations currently call for all ground meats – beef, chicken, turkey, veal and pork – to have a Nutrition Facts table. Therefore, ground beef will require a FOP label for saturated fat. The World Health Organization recommends that saturated fat intake not exceed 10 per cent of total energy intake. This equates to about 20 grams per day 22
in a 2,000-calorie diet. Health Canada has estimated the Canadian population’s average intake of saturated fat is about 10 per cent of energy or 20 grams. Therefore, it seems that saturated fat actually is not a nutrient of concern based on Canadian consumption patterns. Saturated fat consumption may be less than previously understood, which calls into question the validity of identifying it as a nutrient of concern. Furthermore, the science around saturated fat and health outcomes has evolved. There is a lot of misunderstanding about dietary fat that comes to consumers through pop culture and social media. On average, fresh red meat accounts for only 7 per cent of the fat calories consumed in the Canadian diet. For example, ground beef has 3 grams of saturated fat which is 15 per cent of the daily value threshold. However, it is important to recognize that half of the fat in beef is unsaturated. In fact, almost 50 per cent of that fat is oleic acid, the same type found in olive oil.
Another red flag is that these nutrients were identified based on an analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey data from 2004 – not its most recent version from 2015. This raises a lot of scientific concerns because the data is dated and dietary patterns have changed since 2004. Red meat consumption has dropped by 14 grams per day in the 11 years between the two surveys. Government policy should be developed using the most current consumption data and science available. Otherwise, there is the appearance of cherry-picking scientific research to support a particular viewpoint. Another concern has been raised about the design of the FOP label. Initially, images that contained a strong warning such as a stop sign were part of the first version of label designs. These visuals convey needless alarm and spread fear among consumers. The latest versions have been softened somewhat and contain a magnifying glass, an
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exclamation mark and a red colour block as options under consideration. Alarmingly, some foods are portrayed as the bad guy based on one or two nutrients. Notably, past health campaigns singling out nutrients have been unsuccessful. It is also sending the public the wrong message. Each food item is nutritionally complex. Ground beef is one of the most affordable, convenient and accessible protein foods. The message should be, not about its 3 g of saturated fat, but about its 23 grams of protein, 15 per cent DV of iron; 60 per cent DV of zinc; 110 per cent DV of Vitamin B12 plus a host of other minerals and vitamins. It is a nutritionally rich food source per calorie. At the same time, Canadians have picked up unhealthy eating patterns – snacking instead of meals, super-sized portions and eating on the run. Consumption of highly processed, ready-to-eat foods has grown and now accounts for almost 50 per cent of daily calories. The whole point of the FOP label was to provide quick and easy guidance to encourage consumers to make informed eating choices. But the proposed policy has fallen flat. While fresh, wholesome ground beef will have to carry a frontof-the-package label, in some cases highly-processed, nutrient-poor cookies and diet soda would not have to display a FOP label since they do not meet the thresholds for sodium, saturated fat and sugar. It’s disappointing to see ground beef labelled this way. This is a negative approach to dealing with foods that are meant to nourish. Right now, two consultations on the FOP labelling are running until April 26, 2018: the official Canada Gazette, Part I consultation and a consumer-friendly online consultation (https://www. healthyeatingconsultations.ca/front-ofpackage) focusing on which front-ofpackage nutrition symbol Canadians find most useful. Canada Beef is encouraging beef producers to participate in the consultations and make their voice heard. B
MARCH 2018
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 23
SSGA 100th Limited Edition Print
“Riding for the Brand” by Bernie Brown Print size: 11.5” x 22”
ORDER FORM - PlEASE FAX TO 306-569-8799
Framed size: 17.5” x 28”
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Print Only: $80 (shrinkwrapped)
NAME:________________________________________________________
Framed Print: $230
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Shipping charges $15 + GST for individual orders
PH: (
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EMAIL: _______________________________________________________ PRINT ORDER INFORMATION:
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PRINT ONLY $80 Quantity:___
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FRAMED PRINT $230 Quantity:___
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PAYMENT INFORMATION: CHEQUE
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CREDIT CARD # _____________________________________________ TYPE OF CARD: MC VISA (Shipping charges add $15) $__________ 5% + GST: $__________ TOTAl Amount Paid: $__________
Box 4752, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 • Phone: 306-757-8523
BURNETT ANGUS th 34 BULL SALE Saturday, April 7, 2018 - 2:00 pm at the Ranch, Swift Current, Sask.
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Black Angus Yearling Bulls ess but it in p p a h y u b ’t on w y e on M ULL B T T E N R U B a y u b l wil rs e if e h r ou y e k a m l il w h whic HAPPY! Leptin tested, fertility tested, foot rot vaccinated over half the bulls have been genetically selected on the sire and dam side for breeding heifers - low birth weight, short gestation, curve benders Sires include: Shipwheel Chinook, OCC Missing Link, Soo Line Motive, Crowfoot Fred, Stevenson Rockmount, Bruiser, Optimum (Chisum son)
Guest Consignors:
Schwan Angus, Greg Gillis For catalogues and information contact: Bryce Burnett (306) 773-7065 | Wyatt Burnett (306) 750-7822
e-mail: wburnett@xplornet.ca
www.bryceburnett.com
Industry News
SSGA Belt Buckles Please contact the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association office for orders: Box 4752, Main Floor, Canada Centre Building Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 TEL: (306) 757-8523 FAX: (306) 569-8799 Email: ssga@sasktel.net www.skstockgrowers.com
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Featuring: 75 Virgin Two-year old & 23 Yearling Bulls 40 Commercial Replacement Heifers
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Friday, March 23, 2018 1:00 CST
Cowtown Livestock Exchange Maple Creek, SK
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MARCH 2018
BORDERLAND CATTLE COMPANY BULL SALE ~ MARCH 24, 2018 1:30 PM At the Ranch, Rockglen SK ON OFFER: Black Angus and Charolais Yearling and Two Year Old Bulls and Open Replacement Heifers with guests Dry Fork Cattle Co and D & B Faucher Farms
All bulls are ranch raised and performance tested. Delivery available
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Thank you to our 2017 Supporters! BORDERLAND CATTLE COMPANY Rockglen, SK Glenn, Wendy & Wyatt Ching 306-476-2439 View the catalogue online at: www.borderlandcattleco.com www.skstockgrowers.com | Find us on Facebook: Borderland Catttle| Company 27 | ©BEEF BUSINESS MARCH 2018
Markets and Trade Strong Demand Should Balance Record Beef Supply in 2018 by Jeff Gaye
There are a few gears turning that could affect cattle markets and beef prices, but Brian Perillat of CanFax says strong demand should carry the day, at least in the short term. Perillat spoke with Beef Business in midFebruary. “For the most part in the last few months, cattle markets have been pretty strong,” he said. Fed cattle have been in the $1.60 to $1.65 range, which means “pretty well all the cattle being marketed are profitable,” he said. Calf prices have been over $2.30 per pound, and demand remains strong. Feeder markets, meanwhile, have faced some pressure. Part of that is seasonal, Perillat said, but the quantity of fed cattle might affect markets in a few months. “We’ve got more cattle on feed this year and it looks like we’re going to have a lot of cattle come into the market in the summer. The fed cattle market in the summer and fall might put some pressure on prices so we’ll have to see how strong demand is to see what kind of level prices get to.” “Some of the feedlots will probably lose a bit of margin and start seeing a bit of red ink this summer,” he said. The other big story in the west has been basis levels, which Perillat describes as “phenomenal.” Western Canada has been premium to Ontario and the US for cows, feeders and fed cattle. Lately the feeder cattle have slipped relative to the US and with feed costs creeping upwards and a wave of American beef expected to come into the market this summer, feedlots may be starting to sell cattle now. That wave coming from the US adds to recent record pork production to create a lot of protein supply in the market. The US cow herd has grown by approximately two and a half million over the past three years and those cattle are starting to come to market this year. 28
“We’re probably going to see record beef production in 2018, and pork’s been consistently setting new record highs as they continue to grow their industry,” Perillat said. “But overall, prices have held up quite well.” This is largely due to the demand for exports. When the Canadian dollar trades below 80 cents, international demand for our beef goes up. North American exports have also been helped by pressure on the US dollar and that helps to move some supply out of the domestic market. Domestic retailers have seen their margins fluctuate. Their prices haven’t dropped a great deal, but Perillat says they didn’t go up at the same rate cattle prices did three years ago. “When I look from 2012 to 2017, retail prices increased over 30 per cent for beef. They’ve come down a little bit, but not as much as cattle prices from two years ago,” he said. But the strong export markets mean retailers have to compete for a portion of the beef supply which puts pressure on their margins. “It’s just hard to say how much. The packers probably haven’t been doing too bad, and retailers are probably at a decent level too. So you know the producers today are not getting as much of the retail dollar as they were three years ago.” The short term market outlook is cautiously optimistic. Perillat expects to see a lot of US cattle entering the market, but American herd expansion has slowed dramatically. If US cattle country experiences more dry weather this year, the herd expansion in that country may come to an end. “We’re going to see the supply side still increase, but only modestly. So we’re going to have bigger numbers, but demand looks really good. It’s going to be a pretty good test here,” he said.
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“We might see a little bit of pressure but I don’t expect a big collapse like we saw two years ago. Short term we’ve got quite a lot of cattle to work through in the next year or so, but demand remains good. Longer term we have moved into a higher level of prices in Canada. The key will be to watch the Canadian dollar and the basis levels. I’m not sure we’re going to maintain quite as large premiums to the US, but it’s also supportive to the Canadian market. “Today’s prices are still historically quite strong,” Perillat said. Of course the dry weather hasn’t been limited to the US. Drought conditions in parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta have affected grass and driven feed prices upward. This has prompted some producers to sell heifers they might otherwise have bred and if the situation continues there will be even more cattle on the market in 2018. “We are seeing cow slaughter well above a year ago, and there could be more heifers into feedlots and coming out of the system,” Perillat said. “If we add in a bit of drought liquidation, that will definitely weigh on the market. And it will be a factor to watch for sure.” It also keeps the brakes on Canadian herd expansion and Perillat doesn’t see that changing even if the moisture situation improves. On the other hand, he says, domestic markets have been strong so cattle numbers coming out of feedlots will be higher than a year ago “simply because we’ve kept more cattle in Canada.” “But that’s been a positive story,” he said. “Harmony Beef has been running for a year now and they’re continuing to kill and process more and more cattle. More cattle in Canada, and more utilization at the feedlot and packing level is a positive sign. And our cow herd’s definitely stabilized at these levels.”B MARCH 2018
Markets and Trade RETAIL MEAT PRICE SURVEY as of March 1, 2018 ($/lb)
CUTS
CO-OP
SAFEWAY
4.69
4.99
SAVE-ONFOODS 6.34
*
*
6.49
SOBEYS
SUPERSTORE
4.49
3.44
*
4.69
3.17
6.00
6.63
*
4.98
*
*
*
14.78
*
Roast/outside round
5.49
*
5.08
*
4.93
Steak/rib eye
17.23
17.39
*
20.09
*
Steak/round
7.99
6.48
*
*
*
Steak/sirloin
11.33
8.39
11.38
8.39
8.29
Steak/T-bone
11.99
9.99
16.99
9.99
*
Steak/tenderloin
17.99
*
24.49
23.99
*
Ground beef/lean Ground beef/regular Roast/cross rib Roast/rib
* these items were not in the display case on this date
MARCH 2018
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Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52
30 2016
210 2017
2018
160
180
170
130
160 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 Source: CanFax
190
2015
160 2016
150 2017
140
2018
2015
2016
2017
2018
Source: CanFax Source: CanFax
| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52
260
Source: CanFax
Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52
2015
Price per hundred weight
310
CDN $ - US terms
Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52
Price per hundred weight 360
Price per tonne
Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52
Price per hundred weight
SK Weekly Average Price 500-600 lbs Steers
AB Fed Steer Prices
210
200
120
Alberta Weekly D1 & D2 Cows
Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52
Price per hundred weight
Markets and Trade SK Weekly Average Price Heifers 500-600 lbs
280
230 2015
2016
180 2017
130 2018
0.88
0.83
0.78
Source: CanFax
Weekly Canadian Dollar
0.98
0.93 2018
2017
0.73 5 yr avg
0.68 Source: Bank of Canada
Lethbridge Barley Price
270.00
250.00
230.00
210.00 2015
2016
190.00 2017
170.00 2018
150.00
Source: CanFax
For more information visit www.canfax.ca
MARCH 2018
Feature Murad Al-Katib: Looking at a Protein Opportunity production potential and doesn’t want Saskatchewan producers to miss out on the huge opportunities that await. It is an opportunity for growth here at home. “There continues to be a lot of misunderstanding about …alternative proteins versus traditional proteins. I think this was my message at the conference: To look at this as a protein opportunity. This is being driven by fundamentals that are a lot bigger than any one sector of protein – Canada’s ability to supply that protein.” Murad Al-Katib, president and CEO of AGT Food and Ingredients based in Regina, is hoping to change the way Saskatchewan producers think about protein. Speaking to the Saskatchewan Beef Conference in January, he shared his vision for the role of Saskatchewan and the livestock industry in the future of the global protein market. Al-Katib is part of the Protein Industries Canada supercluster, one of five that was chosen for $950 million in federal innovation funding. Al-Katib is a rising star in Canada’s agrifoods industry. He was named EY World Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 being chosen from 59 winners from 49 countries. He started AGT Food and Ingredients in 2003 and has grown it into the world’s largest vertically-integrated supply chain for lentils, chickpeas and peas with more than 2,000 employees on five continents. It reported $1.9 billion in sales in 2016. Al-Katib sat down with Beef Business magazine to talk about superclusters, the global protein demand and the role of the beef industry in sustainable food production. Protein Potential With numerous global trade prospects around the world, Al-Katib encouraged protein producers in Saskatchewan – both animal and plant producers – to look at the bigger picture in terms of global protein demand. He sees a lot of protein
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trillion. Al-Katib noted that consumer spending for meat has hit $300 billion and is growing at a rate of around three to five per cent per year, which translates into $915 billion per year of growth. “Those are staggering numbers – and that’s just China. Are we as an industry fighting over the same piece of pie, or are we actually looking at expanding the pie? I would say that we are looking at expanding the pie looking at the consumer trends that are going on.”
“With that in mind, we actually need to change the way that people need to think about [protein] and we need to think about how the protein complement in general can take advantage of that opportunity.”
“There’s some major opportunity. The size of the market is a staggering opportunity. Income is growing, the population is growing, and they are driving that. From the perspective of our ability, we’re too small.”
“It’s not about alternative replacing the beef; it’s not about beef fighting against alternatives – it’s the protein complement. The pie is growing so much bigger.”
Technology for the Future Modernization is also key to capitalizing on export opportunities in protein. Al-Katib also encourages producers in the protein sector to make use of all the contemporary tools to measure sustainability, environmental outcomes and gains. These can include the data and analytics side, block chain technology, and digital tamper-proof ledgers, to strengthen the supply chains. These tools are especially important to be able to capture the niche markets.
“I’m not sure why everybody is negative, I want to change everybody’s attitude. It’s not about the competitive side.” “When I turn around and look at the beef industry, I say, there are the alternative proteins, there are the plant-based proteins. There are other proteins that are a bigger trend that we have to take a look at – synthetic proteins.” “Instead of being on the defensive, I want the beef industry to be on the offensive. The offensive is measuring your current status quo and communicating and improving your positive message to the consumer. I think that you [in the beef industry] have the opportunity.” Global Protein Markets Global demand for protein has skyrocketed as a result of a growing middle class that has more spending available. In the Asia, middle class consumer spending has reached $33
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“There’s a real move towards natural. There is a move towards getting closer to your food. I think there is a tremendous opportunity for the Canadian meat industry to use technology, data and analytics, to be able to solidify that chain and make consumers have confidence and public trust in the meat system. I think that is an opportunity. That is one of the things that we want to do in our cluster.” “There are opportunities for this sector, not only in North America but in the export side. Technology is a new thing for us and marketing is changing.”
MARCH 2018
SEC-HAYM18-M_BeefBiz_SEC-HAYM18-M_BeefBiz.qxd 2018-02-09 2:11 PM Page 1
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What’s a supercluster?
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The federal proposed Innovation and Skills Plan in the budget last year launched a new funding initiative to accelerate innovation through superclusters. This initiative brings together large-scale industry partnerships, supported by other innovation ecosystem players. They would cooperate on market-driven proposals to supercharge their regional innovation ecosystems. The Innovation Superclusters Initiative will invest up to $950 million. Protein Industries Canada (PIC), based in Saskatchewan, was named as one of the winning proponents under the superclusters program. It is a group of 120 private-sector companies, academic institutions, and other stakeholders across Western Canada aimed at developing the potential of plant-based proteins from crops. It focuses on improvements and opportunities in crop breeding, crop production, value-added processing, and export development. This initiative is estimated to generate over $700 million in new commercial activity, billions in incremental GDP over the next decade and around 4,700 new jobs.
Consumer Perceptions He also pointed out the differences between consumer and producer views surrounding trends like “natural”. According to Al-Katib, marketing campaigns take advantage of the lack of knowledge of the every-day consumer about how beef is produced. The concepts have specific references in beef production, but the marketing uses the language to grab consumer market share. “Natural is not a well-defined term. Natural has to fit into the mind of the
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consumers,” he noted, giving an example of another term: “Antibiotics in meat is interesting. In meat, antibiotics is a negative, but in humans, antibiotics is seen as necessary [for health].”
“At the endAd of Number: the day, we need to look SEC-HAYM18-M at the sustainable production system. We need to communicate why it is that this is the right way for consumers to be looking at [production]. I think you are doing that.”
Al-Katib encourages beef producers to get their message out to consumers about their sustainable production methods.
“It’s not only about your footprint, it’s about how your footprint is changing. I think that is a really important message that I got across at the [SBI] conference.”
“I think that natural messaging is changing. You start to talk about the sustainability of the feed that you are using.”
Market Share Al Katib provided a window into the staggering size of some of these potential continued on page 34
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 33
Feature Protein Opportunity cont. from pg. 33 world markets for Saskatchewan agricultural products. “An Ontario company that is now boxing up frozen beef and shipping it to China went from 0 to $18 million in one year. In a market like China, a niche market is bigger than anything we could imagine [here].” He described an example of the similar market size in India. “I phoned my India operation the other day, they were talking about the limited scope of a facility I was considering near Mumbai. They said, ‘If you put it there, it’s really limited to the local region.’ I said: ‘Well, how big is that?’ They said, ‘75 million.’” “That is a limited scope facility in India – at 75 million! From that perspective, I think the future is bright and I think the diversification of our markets is going to be very key. At the Ag in Canada Day [February 13], I made the point that it is about finding those niche opportunities and staying within them. That sounds so counter-intuitive. “Niche” usually means small. The scope and size of the market is so big that our niche opportunity is actually a scale opportunity for Canada.” Foreign Trade In order to pursue niche markets and other opportunities in export, Al-Katib stressed that free trade agreements are key to developing market access for beef. “When we are talking about market access, we will be certainly investigating the bilateral free trade agenda. Specifically, there are comprehensive trade agreements, but there are also opportunities for bilateral agricultural agreements. If a country is not ready, there are still opportunities for us to make strides in agriculture. If you want market access, we need trade agreements that give us a regulatory framework that is predictable.” “How do we resolve disputes? How do we get notified? How do we get that predictability – that’s really key. We are dealing with the most political industry
34
in the world – food. What we want is certainty. I think that the trade agreement can be a leader. We’re trading right now with the U.S., but we need to diversify our markets, so we need market access.” “The agricultural potential of the western provinces most certainly gives us an opportunity to be a major driver of protein because, again, we have what the world doesn’t have – land, water and work ethic.” Beef Industry Participation Although Al-Katib’s AGT company specializes in pulses, he drew on his experience to share ideas on how Saskatchewan’s livestock sector can develop and work with other protein industries to capitalize on global opportunities. “Livestock development is a big part of the sustainable crop sector. [The crop sector is] going to mill these products and we’re going to extract oil, but we’ve got to sell the meal; we’ve got to sell the starch; we’ve got to sell the by-products.” “There is an opportunity to turn our crop sector into better livestock. In every area with a potential for a large crop sector, you have the potential for a large livestock sector. We’re going to do a better job of the country by monetizing those opportunities. Protein Supercluster Al-Katib’s company is part of Protein Industries Canada based in Saskatchewan that was named as one of the winning proponents under the federal Innovation Superclusters Program. The program runs five years, starting in 2018. He outlined the components and scope of the cluster with activities to be implemented in phases. Although the federal government allocated $950 million in funds, the private sector companies involved are expected to commit their own financing to the cluster to enable commercialization. AlKatib’s AGT company provided $30 million dollars of its own money to the cluster.
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“In the supercluster proposal that we put together, there were 120 organizations from the private sector, organizations, universities, and research institutions that came together, and all agreed on a protein innovation strategy that’s going to be focused on the utilization of the cropping patterns in Western Canada, and looking at opportunities to up the value of those crops as we move forward. The cropping is one side, but there will be breeding and genomics agronomy. Then there’ll be the milling – the extraction and utilization of the co-products. There is a feed research component to it. There’s going to be a link into pork, beef, poultry and aquaculture.” “The other side is technology – artificial intelligence, robotics, and data analytics. You have a linkage of the IOT (the internet of things), data hubs, the ability to start to collect data on farms and use it to create predictive analytics on crop production, livestock output, traceability, food safety – all these are linked into a supply chain approach to scale the protein sector.” Although Protein Industries will be focusing on crops, Al-Katib observed that the PIC supercluster does have components that are related to the beef sector. He also sees plenty of opportunity for the beef industry to get involved. “There is definitely going to be opportunity. There’s going to be phased approaches that are going to look at allocating funds for company proposals, and [livestock] companies are going to have an opportunity to get involved.” “On the data analytics side, the use of block chain, the use of predictive analytics, and the data collection side for safety and sustainability is all very applicable to the beef industry. I think there are opportunities for the beef sector to become involved.” “We have to show results with this protein cluster, so if there are good opportunities to fit in, there will be a process that organizations will be able to get involved in.”
MARCH 2018
Feature “Some of those [opportunities] are on the data analytics – block chain and that side of things, at the level of certifying quality and traceability and safety. It’s actually currently being done in the U.S. in the poultry, for instance. Those kinds of programs are going to go ahead right away. There is certainly going to be an opportunity to link them in.” He also clarified the government’s role in the supercluster innovation program. “[The government’s role] will be a bit more focused on the National Strategy Table as well. I chair the National Strategy Table for agriculture. We’ll be looking at five key areas recommending some changes and some opportunities to identify for the government. We’ll be looking at regulation. We will be looking at tax. We will be looking at infrastructure. We’re looking at market access. And we’re looking at innovation policy and implementation.”
Growing the Livestock Industry The next step for beef producers is figuring out how their sector can grow and achieve sustainability. Using his own experience, Al-Katib shares his expertise on future areas of focus for the beef industry. He stresses that the livestock sector will need to organize and cooperate as a whole to be able to participate in the booming global markets. “Part of what [beef producers] have to do is to figure out who are the players going to be to scale their operations. You have the same problem that we have in the crop sector. We have great farmers, you have great ranchers. But who is going to collect that and who is going to do something with that? That’s the question.” “How do you produce products that are differentiated to brand them and how do you distribute them around the world under a trade regime that is predictable.
That is the ultimate secret sauce.” “Canadian champions will emerge to partner with the Canadian farmer who is already a champion.” Al-Katib concludes with a positive message for agricultural producers about the huge opportunities in export markets. “My message is that protein is the story that is making Canada well-positioned for the agricultural century, which is this century that we are in now.” He stressed that the beef industry is an integral part of the protein story. “Meat production – meat, dairy and eggs – are a major part of global protein consumption and they are going to continue to be. From that perspective – what’s our opportunity? How do we measure our gains using technology? And how do we define those niche markets and how do we scale them? I think that’s the big opportunity.”B
avor F r u o Y e in l a c S e th ason e S e Tipping l a lS this Bul Consignors
Bell Angus - Ken Bell 306-591-7791 Cottonwood Angus - Brett Gaube 306-537-4710 Glen Gabel Angus - Glen Gabel 306-536-1927 Hi-Low Angus - Dan Howell 306-581-7606 Nu-Horizon Angus - Kieran & Deb Doetzel 306-336-2245 Triple H Angus - Perry & Dawn Hart 306-723-4832 Valley Lodge Cattle Co. - Gordon C. Roger 306-570-8454 Willowview Angus - Ken & Sandy Harle 306-359-6100
Saturday March 31, 2018
1:00 pm CST Johnstone Auction Mart Moose Jaw, SK
Sale Managed by:
Chris Poley: 306.220.5006 Shane Michelson: 403.363.9973 Ben Wright: 519.374.3335
View the catalogue online at www.buyagro.com • Sale broadcasted live on www.dlms.ca
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 35
Feature An Interview with Premier Scott Moe
“We have a great story to tell about livestock in Saskatchewan.” Premier Scott Moe has had a whirlwind month after being elected as Saskatchewan Party Leader on January 27, 2018. One week later on February 2, he was sworn in as the new premier of Saskatchewan. Premier Moe took some time out of his busy schedule to speak to the readers of Beef Business magazine about issues important to the livestock industry – the province’s export markets, trade agreements, value-added opportunities, the Saskatchewan climate strategy and the upcoming provincial budget. Beef Business (BB): What are your top priorities for the province right now? Premier Moe: I think in the short term, we have a challenging budget ahead of us. We need to make every effort to ensure that we can be fiscally responsible here in the province and ensure that we can have the investments that we have enjoyed over the past decade into the future and have them sustainable right into the next decade. The ongoing and longer-term effort that we need to always keep our eye on here in the province of Saskatchewan is increasing the value of our exports. This is what we do in Saskatchewan. We export energy products and agricultural products such as meat and
grain and derivatives of that – as well as forestry products, mining products and manufactured goods. We export these products to about 150 countries all around the world. It really drives the source wealth of our families and of our communities here in Saskatchewan. We need to continue increasing the value of those exports so we can continue to grow the opportunities in our communities and the jobs throughout Saskatchewan. And, ultimately, to attract families here from all across the world or to retain our next generation and have opportunities where they can get a job or a career in the province. BB: What do you see as the main challenges and opportunities in our agriculture sector at this time? Premier Moe: There are challenges that are beyond our control such as weather and sometimes we have challenges with respect to the value chain. For instance, pulse crops in India. Some of the challenges we have are with the relationships with markets. Since agriculture exports make up about half of the exports from Saskatchewan, we’re watching very closely and engaging with the renegotiation of NAFTA with the US. The US is a tremendous trading partner and export market and competitor for us when it comes to agriculture. There’s also other opportunities as we see the CETA deal with the European Union starting to come on board and opportunities to diversify those export markets and to increase our stability and our value into the future. The TPP is another opportunity for Saskatchewan exports as we move forward. So I think our trade relationships as a province, and as a nation, with the 150 plus countries that we export to each and every year are of vital importance for us to have as stable markets now and in the future. That’s why we moved very quickly on
instituting a Ministry of Export and Trade and Investment Attraction to focus on Saskatchewan and the industries that we have here – agriculture being a large portion of that. BB: One of the first things that you have undertaken since coming to office is introducing a Ministry of International Trade and Exports. How do you see the role and function of this ministry? Premier Moe: We have appointed the Honourable Jeremy Harrison as our Minister of Trade and Export. Essentially, what he will be doing – what his position will be responsible for – is looking outside of the borders of Saskatchewan to our trade agreements with other provinces and our trade agreements with other nations to ensure that we are protecting the export volume and the export value that we have in those markets, but also ensuring that we have every opportunity to expand those markets when those opportunities arise. We just feel that because of our reliance in many ways on exports out of this province – whether it is agricultural products, whether it is mining products, whether it’s manufactured goods, or energy products – we need to advocate very specifically on behalf of the industries and the opportunities that our Saskatchewan companies can have. As we increase that export wealth, we increase the opportunities for careers right across the province of Saskatchewan and it enhances our opportunities to grow our population here in the province. That’s been the North Star of this government for the last decade and it needs to continue to be into the future. BB: Are trade delegations part of the functions of the Trade and Export Ministry? Premier Moe: We would expand opportunities for trade delegations as well as support the organizations such continued on page 38
36
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MARCH 2018
Feature Scott Moe Interview cont. from pg. 36 as the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership and support the efforts of the agricultural industry’s individual businesses that are already selling their wares in countries all around the world. Herein lies opportunities for us. Saskatchewan is on the cutting edge of a number of efforts that will reduce our carbon content in our atmosphere, most notably with the drills that we are utilizing, not just within the borders of our province. But now we are exporting them across Canada, across North America and in places like Kazakhstan and the European Union. This is a great story for our province to be telling. It is one that we need to discuss very openly to be sure that the world is aware of the sustainable nature in which we produce our products here in the province of Saskatchewan. BB: How will you be capitalizing on the opportunities from CETA which was signed last fall and the CPTPP due to be ratified in March? Premier Moe: These are precisely the efforts that we have asked the Honourable Jeremy Harrison to look at as we sign agreements – whether they are multiple companies or agreements such as CETA or the TPP or whether it’s opportunities to advance technology and knowledge here in the province. That is precisely what a minister of trade and export will do to expand the value of the export markets we have. The fact of the matter is this – Saskatchewan does very well with free and open trade and we will always advocate for more free and open trade with provinces across the nation as well as nations around the world. We feel that with the products that we produce, we can do it in an economically competitive fashion – as economically competitive as anyone in the world. But we also need to produce our goods in a sustainable nature when compared to like goods produced in other areas of the world. This is another part of the conversation that I think the world is
38
asking the question and I think we in Saskatchewan, through industry and government, can provide at least part of the answer. BB: How optimistic are you about the NAFTA negotiations being successful? Premier Moe: I remain optimistic about all of our trade agreements, including NAFTA. NAFTA is a very important agreement for our Saskatchewan exports most notably our agricultural exports, as well as other exports too. I remain optimistic that we will come to an agreement that benefits all three partners, all three signatories in the North America Free Trade Agreement – Mexico, the United States and Canada and ultimately Saskatchewan. What I really remain optimistic about is our Saskatchewan industries’ ability to compete and to ensure that we are selling the very best product at a competitive price and produced in a sustainable way. I have all the faith in the world in our Saskatchewan industries. BB: Does Saskatchewan have a role in the NAFTA talks? Premier Moe: Our officials in the Ministry of Trade and Export as well as energy and resources and agriculture are constantly in communication with our federal counterparts to ensure that we are relaying information on Saskatchewan’s behalf with respect to the negotiations as they transpire. The negotiations are nation-to-nation-to-nation between Mexico, the United States and Canada. Most certainly, the provinces are engaged with their respective nations. Saskatchewan most certainly is because of the importance of exports. BB: In recent years the Saskatchewan government has emphasized value-added opportunities in the province. What will you be doing to grow added value opportunities in the livestock sector?
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Premier Moe: Adding value to our exports has been a focus of this government over the last decade and needs to be into the future. And here is why - over the last decade, our export value has grown from about $16 billion to about $30 billion. During that same period of time, we have grown the opportunity for over 65,000 jobs across the province. Additionally, over 165,000 people have moved to the province and our population has increased for the first time in some seven decades. This is how we grow our communities, our province and our population. As we move into the future, we have to focus on increasing that value from $30 billion to $35 billion to $40 billion – to whatever number we can – into the future so we can continue that growth of our jobs, our opportunities for the next generation and our population. There are tremendous opportunities for us as we move forward to increase the value of our exports, but also as we climb the value chain. We have opportunities to decrease our reliance on those world prices for our raw products. It is a win-win for our province, our communities and our industries as we move forward. One of the challenges we have in the short term is our provincial budget and some of the directions that we will take in the very short term here. BB: What are the agriculture policy directions of your new government? Premier Moe: I think our direction in agriculture– in all of our industries – has been to increasing that export wealth. With respect to agriculture specifically, I think there are a couple of things that we can continue to discuss as we move forward. The first is our business risk management programs. We have a rich history in the last decade of ensuring that we have business risk management programs in place. We’ve expanded them into the livestock sector. We’ve expanded their scope and the value of their insurance
MARCH 2018
Feature programs that we have. I know those have been supplemented in our province by the private sector as well in many cases. I think the opportunity for private sector involvement in our business risk management program speaks to the strength of our agriculture industry and the faith that the world has in our ability to produce economically and reliably.
need to continue adding that value into the future, and that, ultimately, is one of the largest opportunities we have here in Saskatchewan.
Secondly, we need to continue focusing on our ability to get our competitive and sustainable products to a port and ultimately to a market. We deal with about 150 countries each and every year. We have a challenge over the next number of years to ensure that we are able to continually supply those products and get them to the markets where people want to purchase them.
Premier Moe: One of the questions that is being asked around the world and from our customers is how our products are actually produced. When it comes to the livestock industry, the other side of the conversation about sustainable production methods that we employ here in the province is one that we really need to engage on, in particular, when it comes to the world conversations around carbon. When you talk about animals in Saskatchewan, with respect to livestock, we have a great story to tell. And we do.
That means we need to ensure that products are in the proper channel to that port. For instance, energy products need to be in a pipeline. It is the safest, it is the greenest, it is the most economical way to move that product and that’s where that product should be. It should not be on the rails. We need the rails for our grain products, for our agricultural products, for our lumber products as we expand those opportunities and those volumes into the years ahead. So, we need all of these transportation avenues to ensure that if we increase the value of our exports, we can reliably get them to market. This is a conversation that the province of Saskatchewan needs to engage in and perhaps a little more aggressively in the coming weeks and months and years ahead to ensure that we can deliver our sustainable economic products to the world. And last, but not least, are the opportunities around climbing that value chain. Whether it’s livestock or grain crops, oil seeds, pulse crops, whatever it may be, we need to continually look for opportunities to climb that value chain – to buffer world prices for our raw products, to increase the jobs and the opportunities in our communities. And we
MARCH 2018
BB: Regarding the livestock industry itself, what will you do to improve the competitiveness and the profitability of this sector?
People want to talk quite often about methane emissions from our animals here in Saskatchewan. But we also want to talk about the sequestration that is happening in our grasslands throughout the province. We have 17 million acres of grasslands in the province that are protected by provincial leasement. Some of it is grazed and some of it is not. But just those 17 million acres are sequestering far in excess of 150 million tonnes of carbon each and every year. We should remember that our total emissions in this province are 75 million tonnes. So, over twice our total emissions are offset by what we are doing in agriculture. I think that is something that we need to continue to tell our customers about. Not only are we economical about how we produce our meat products, but we are sustainable, as sustainable as anywhere in the world. BB: Do you have any insight into whether the Government of Canada will recognize grasslands for their sequestration?
Premier Moe: Those are precisely the conversations that our government is having with the Government of Canada, but just as importantly with our customers around the world. We started this conversation with the release of our made-in-Saskatchewan climate change plan by Minister Duncan a couple of months ago now to start to recognize the sustainable nature, the sustainable efforts, that are already underway here in the province. This is the start of what I think is a very important conversation in our industries – what we have done over the last number of years, what we are doing today in the way of sustainability and profitability and what we are able to do in the future. This is the actual conversation that the world is having and the conversation that we need to participate in at the provincial level and we will continue to, as opposed to a conversation about how we tax our industries. We’re not having that conversation. BB: The Saskatchewan climate change strategy was released late last year. Can you update us on its implementation? Will your government be making any changes to this document? Premier Moe: There’s been some changes at the federal level on what is considered a heavy emitter, so we’ve updated our plan to reflect some of that work that has been going on. And it has been an effort to provide certainty with respect to some of the heavy emitters, some of the mines and such here without having a carbon taxation policy in place here in the province. We will continue to work with all of our industries, agriculture included, to ensure that the world and our nation knows what we are doing in the context of a more fulsome carbon conversation – which we should be having to be truly trying to make an effort to address the carbon content in our atmosphere and climate change in general, as opposed to taxing our industries. continued on page 40
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 39
Feature Scott Moe Interview cont. from pg. 39 The announcement that Minister Duncan made last fall with respect to the climate change strategy is focused on providing the certainly that our heavy emitting industries will need into the future. I look forward personally to this whole conversation about sustainability and about the sustainability of our products here that we export all around the world. I think that this is an exciting time for the province of Saskatchewan. The best environmental stewards are our producers and we know that. It is time for us to communicate that to our federal government as well as to our customers all around the world. BB: What can be done to have our Saskatchewan climate change strategy recognized by the Canadian government? Premier Moe: There are four or five plans across the country that the federal government has indicated that may not measure up to the backstop that they have suggested they’re going to implement on provinces that don’t sign on to a full-fledged carbon tax. I was in Ottawa not too long ago speaking to the sustainability of our industries here in Saskatchewan and I’ll continue to do that because the fact of the matter is, the world is having a much more fulsome carbon conversation with respect to climate change – not just about how we tax our industries. That’s a conversation that is occurring here too. We will not move forward on a carbon tax on our industries in Saskatchewan for a host of reasons, but the most important would be the impact on our industries. It would be detrimental. Secondly, a carbon tax has not worked in any jurisdiction where it has been introduced around the world. It has not worked in the way of reducing emissions or enhancing the opportunities for those products for a “social licence”. Here in Saskatchewan and in particular in agriculture – with crop agriculture being more than carbon neutral, with animal
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agriculture, our beef agriculture being far in excess of being carbon neutral – when you take into account the sequestration happening in our grasslands and in our forestry industry we are sequestering carbon each and every day. These are the conversations that we need to be having and we are having at the global level, but we also need to be having them at the national level here in Canada as opposed to just how much tax we can institute on certain industries across the nation. We look forward to those discussions in the coming months.
focus on climbing that value chain in agriculture and working with industry to provide opportunities not only for market access, but for opportunities within the province to invest in climbing that value chain for our agricultural products within the borders of Saskatchewan. BB: Thank you, Mr. Premier, for taking your time to speak with us today. B
BB: Can you update us on the situation with the carbon tax? Premier Moe: In the event that the federal government will not accept Saskatchewan’s climate change plan, we would end up not implementing their taxation regime here in Saskatchewan. And if that means we will end up in court, so be it. We have a strong case when it comes to protecting and managing the resources that are most certainly in the provincial jurisdiction as we move forward. BB: Are there any major changes that we can expect in the spring budget that will impact livestock producers and the agriculture budget specifically? Premier Moe: The one change that we would look for in the next little while is just to follow through. We’ve followed through on a couple of commitments already through this leadership race with respect to our commitment to the education sector, with respect to our commitment to the trade and export ministry to focus on expanding the value of our exports. But the other commitment relative to agriculture was to ensure that we don’t charge PST on life and health insurance as well as crop and hail insurance and that would include livestock insurance. That will be coming shortly and I think you will see in the months ahead a renewed
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MARCH 2018
RSL 79E
RSL 29E
RSL 288D MARCH 2018
Complimentary Beef on a Bun www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 41
Connecting Sustainability and Beef Production in Canada
VERIFIED BEEF PRODUCTION PLUS
IN SASKATCHEWAN
DRIVING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO VERIFYING SUSTAINABILITY
PROOF OF RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT
Canadian Beef is Sustainable, Safe and Wholesome. Let’s become VERIFIED and show consumers why!
Photo credit: Sam Wirzba samwirzba.com
THE
OF: Complete the PRO Y DIBILIT
Take the Training
Apply SOPs on the Beef Operation
On-Farm Audit
IN-PERSON WORKSHOP OR ONLINE
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
VERIFICATION OF THE OPERATION
Education on Food Safety, Animal
Industry-led practices focused on Food
Care, Biosecurity, and Environmental
Safety, Animal Care, Biosecurity, &
Stewardship Management Practices:
Environmental Stewardship during beef
•
Inject in the Neck, Reduce Broken
production are being used on the cattle
Needles, Meet Withdrawal Times
operation:
•
Keep Records (Treatments, Deaths)
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Beef Code of Practice, Disease Prevention, Manure Management
CRE
Our 3rd party auditors are also beef producers and understand the industry. It takes about 3.5 hours and is mostly done in the comfort of your home, through discussion and review of your records.
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Feedlots: 3 months of Records
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Cow-Calf: 6 months of Records
towards the excellent things you do.
ENHANCING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN THE WHOLESOMENESS OF BEEF To learn more about Visit verifiedbeefproductionplus.ca or contact Coy Schellenberg, VBP+ in Saskatchewan: SK Coordinator, at 306.859.9110 or SK@verifiedbeef.ca
The dairy, pork and poultry industries have all implemented some type of Quality Assurance program similar to ours. Retailers and consumers are looking for it. This is our opportunity to use an industry created program to enhance our social license to produce beef, and to increase consumer trust. There is strong potential to increase local consumption and global exports of Canadian beef. VBP+ validates sustainable production practices, onfarm. Let’s show the world why Canadian beef is the safest, highest quality protein product on the planet!
WANT TO BECOME REGISTERED WITH THE VBP+ PROGRAM? VBP+ REGISTRATION STEPS •
you need records as per the Must Do’s in the VBP+ Producer Manual and complete the VBP+ training (workshop or online)
•
then contact your provincial VBP+ office to request a validation audit
•
we will help prepare you for the audit, ensuring that you understand our program and that you are ready (Producer Checklist & SelfAssessment)
•
VBP+ IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM RECOGNIZED BY THE CFIA
then the auditor will connect with you directly to schedule the on-farm audit
•
Audits Rates in SK: $650/cow-calf & $850/feedlot
To learn more about Visit verifiedbeefproductionplus.ca or contact Coy Schellenberg, VBP+ in Saskatchewan: SK Coordinator, at 306.859.9110 or SK@verifiedbeef.ca
Feature Beef Quality Issues Costing the Industry $200 Million by Jeff Gaye
The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) released the results of its most recent Beef Quality Audit. The data collected in the audit show that the Canadian beef industry has made some improvements over the past five years, but some serious issues continue to rob value from the beef sector. BCRC conducts the audits every five years. The information gathered is used to “enhance the quality and safety of Canadian beef while increasing the profitability of the Canadian beef and cattle industry,” according to the BCRC website. Specifically, the audit helps the industry identify ways in which Canadian beef may be superior to its international competitors; identify carcass and beef quality attributes that could be improved through animal and carcass management; and measure improvements in quality of Canadian beef over time. The audit is funded through the national beef cattle check-off. The two key components of the audit are the Beef Carcass Audit, conducted at slaughter plants, and the Tenderness and Consumer Satisfaction Benchmark survey, which seeks input from consumers at Canadian retail stores. The Beef Carcass Audit was carried out at plants across the country which combine for 75 per cent of the Canadian cattle slaughter. It consists of a processing floor audit, conducted immediately after stunning and removal of hide and on the offal table; and a cooler audit which includes grading of beef. The processing floor audit looked at tag, horns, body condition, livers, injection site lesions, brands and bruising as factors that affect the final value of an animal. Trends were followed separately for fed and nonfed cattle. Beef grading in the cooler audit shows considerable value loss through the 44
inadequacies of the current yield grading system. “This has been a big issue for us for some time,” said SSGA president Shane Jahnke. “We want to see producers paid for cattle with a good yield of high-quality beef, rather than paying a premium for wasted excess fat.” Beef Carcass Audit: Processing floor Tag Tag is manure or mud on the hide. It affects the value of the hide, increases labour costs and is a potential source of contamination in the plant. The audit found that tag is significantly higher on fed than non-fed cattle, but the incidence in non-fed cattle has gotten worse since the last audit. Fed cattle have been constant at approximately 85 per cent, while non-fed cattle showed tag on 57 per cent of animals compared with just over 20 per cent five years ago. The difference amounts to $8 to $10 per head in loss to the industry, or a total of $25 million to $30 million overall. Horns Horns affect value because of bruising, head condemnations and extra labour. The audit showed small but statistically significant improvements among fed and non-fed cattle, with both categories in the 91 per cent range for polled cattle. But while the number of polled animals has improved substantially over the past five audits, the cost to the industry – not including bruising – has climbed, due to increased packing-plant labour costs. Body Condition Score (BCS) Body condition is scored on a five-point scale, with a score of 1 representing very thin and 5 representing grossly fat. The ideal range is 2.5 to 3. Non-fed cattle showed reductions at both undesirable extremes and improved numbers in the ideal range. Fed cattle tend to be over-conditioned, with only slight improvement since the last audit.
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A longer term look at fed cattle BCS tells a different story. While the 1998/99 audit showed almost 40 per cent of fed cattle had a near-ideal score of 3, that number is closer to five per cent in the current audit. Livers Livers are graded under the ELANCO system as 0 (no abscesses); A (one or two small unorganized abscesses or two to four well-organized abscesses or abscess scares); or A+ (one or more large active abscesses with inflammation of the liver tissue). In the current audit, 68 per cent of livers were found suitable for human consumption, and 10 per cent suitable for use as pet food. Almost a quarter of livers were condemned. The A+ scores were significantly higher since the 2010/11 audit for fed and non-fed animals. Industry losses due to liver discounts amounted to approximately $20 per head, or $60 million, with fed animals accounting for almost all of the losses. Injection site lesions Lesions in the muscle where animals have received injections cause tough beef, and so they are trimmed at the packing plant. The audit found increased incidence of minor lesions and some increase in major lesions. The number of critical lesions in fed and non-fed cattle remained at or near zero. The biggest issue is with shoulder injection sites, especially with non-fed animals. But because the increased number of lesions is offset by the low severity of the lesions, cost to the industry has actually decreased. Nonetheless, with one in seven non-fed animals showing minor lesions, the audit shows there is room for improvement. The use of dart guns is thought to be responsible for many of the lesions. continued on page 46
MARCH 2018
WRAZ 47E BW 1.7 WW 56 YW 81 M 7 TM 35 CE 1.2 • BW 90, WW 767 Top maternal genetics, all other siblings working in registered herds to date. Keep all the daughters to get your herd to the next level.
WRAZ 70E BW 2.9 WW 69 YW 103 M 13 TM 48 CE -1.3 • BW 108, WW 818 Powerful son of Swayze 33Z for use on cows only! Chock full of red meat to pound the scale down.
WRAZ 157E BW 1.6 WW 69 YW 101 M 12 TM 47 CE 1 • BW 92, WW 867 Tremendous growth! Will add hair as well as growth and a little frame to progeny. Fabulous females and steers that will top the market with eye appeal and thickness.
GBR 46E PleasantDawn Infusion x HBC Encore • 4th Gen Pld BW 101, 205 DW 911 • CE 7.4 BW -1.1 WW 46 YW 84 M 27 TM 50 Very consistent, volume & depth
GBR 180E XAL Custom Made x KMAC Serio • 3rd Gen Pld BW 102, 205 DW 965 • CE 4.8 BW .7 WW 45 YW 86 M 25 TM 48 Good bone & meat in these 1st calves from this new herdsire
GBR 134E McTavish Excel x HBC Encore • 3rd Gen Pld BW 101, 205 DW 765 • CE 4.3 BW 1.6 WW 45 YW 77 M 25 TM 47 Tremendous hair that is consistent in Excel sons
OPEN HOUSE at WRAZ, Saturday, April 7 • 1:30 PM Presale viewing of the bulls, their sires, dams & siblings with calves at foot. Phil & Lana Birnie & Family Box 461, Wawota, SK S0G 5A0 T 306-739-2988 • C 306-577-7440 “The program you wraz@sasktel.net • Gordon Murray can count on” T 306-739-2177 • C 306-646-7980
Sale Manager
306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com
Kelly, Tracy, William & Wyatt Brimner Box 93, Manor, SK S0C 1R0 T 306-448-2028 • C 306-577-7698
View the catalogue online at www.bylivestock.com MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 45
Feature Beef Quality Issues cont. from pg. 44 Branding Brands, whether hot-branded or freezebranded, cause permanent damage to hides and reduce their value. They are also seen as an animal welfare issue because of the temporary pain they cause to the animal. There has been a large overall decrease in brands on non-fed animals, but an increase use of branding on fed animals. This may be because of lenders’ and insurance companies’ requirements that animals be branded. The location of the brand has a bearing on the loss of the hide’s value. Rib brands are the worst, but these have doubled since the last audit. When branding is necessary, more of the hide’s value can be retained by applying the brand to the hip or shoulder. Bruising Bruised meat must be trimmed from the carcass or primal affected and can even result in loss of the entire carcass or primal (round, loin, brisket or chuck). Bruising was scored as minor, major or critical depending on the extent of the damage. The audit showed significant reductions in bruising since 2010/11 in both underthirty-months (UTM) and over-thirtymonths (OTM) cattle. The biggest reduction was in major bruising to OTM animals. Loin and chuck were the mostaffected primals on fed cattle, followed by rib and round. Bruising was not an issue in brisket. On non-fed animals, the worst bruising was on round, followed by loin, rib and chuck. Prevalence and severity of bruising was found to be higher in nonfed than fed cattle. Bruising costs the industry almost $2 per head, or $7 million. In addition to rough handling or problems with facility design, much of the bruising comes from the transport of cattle; too many or too few animals in a trailer, narrow or low truck gates, slippery floors or driving methods are among the factors.
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Beef Carcass Audit: Cooler Audit Yield According to Mark Klassen, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s director of technical services, “yield grade is trending in a less than ideal manner.” Yield is lost as the carcass is moved to the fabrication floor, mostly due to the trimming of external fat. “One processor I was talking to characterized it as ‘the greatest value destruction ever,’” Klassen said. Yield grade 1 carcasses have fallen from 63 per cent of the total number in 2000 to 37 per cent in the current audit. Meanwhile, grade 3 have climbed from about nine per cent to 30 per cent of all carcasses in the A grades. “A very core attribute of the Canadian beef advantage, namely yield, is no longer what it once was,” Klassen said. Ribeye area is getting bigger, which Klassen says is not as good as it sounds. “When you are creating portion sizes, there comes a point when you’ve crossed the line of ‘too much,’” he said. Fat depth is also trending to the negative, up 76 per cent since the last audit. Carcass weights are up by approximately 100 pounds over the last 20 years and this has an effect on the other factors including ribeye area, fat depth and yield grade. Klassen explains that western Canadian processors need all the animals they can get and as such they have stopped the discounts on what they would pay for overweight carcasses. Quality There is some qualified good news on the quality side. More carcasses are coming in at prime and AAA quality grades and these mirror lower numbers at the AA grade. But if the ideal animal is AAA quality, Yield Class 1, there are fewer such carcasses in the mix than in the past. The increase in AAA beef has been in the lowest yield class, indicating that the increased value in high-quality product is lost by the waste of trimmed external fat. Dark cutters The proportion of grade B4, or darkcutting carcasses, has doubled since
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the 1998/99 audit to 1.64 per cent. The rate has historically been higher in the eastern half of the country, but it has been increasing in western Canada. Over the past two years it has been roughly equivalent in the east and the west. Cost of defects The combined cost of defects, or the value lost to the beef industry from the factors measured in the Beef Quality Audit, is considerable. The cooler audit alone shows $100 million to $130 million in lost value. The processing floor audit reveals approximately $110 million in lost value. The latter figure shows a clear upward trend. The losses identified through the processing floor audit have more than tripled in the past 20 years, even when inflation is taken into account. “We’re on our way to a quarter of a billion dollars in lost value,” Jahnke said. “Some of it can’t be avoided, but there’s a lot we can do to keep those dollars where they belong. The bottom line is it costs us to produce these cattle, but as an industry we’re shortchanging ourselves on the returns.” Tenderness and consumer satisfaction benchmark survey Striploin, top sirloin, cross rib and inside round steaks – 2,678 in total – were collected from 75 retailers in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. Of these, roughly half were given to consumers to prepare and consume in their homes and the other half were kept for objective testing. The laboratory and panel-tested results showed an improvement in the quality and tenderness of the two less-expensive cuts and comparable, though slightly lower, scores in the striploin and top sirloin compared with previous surveys. For the consumer-tested beef, a satisfaction score of 7 on a scale of 10 was considered to indicate a satisfied customer. In that regard, the 2015 survey showed that gains made between 2001
MARCH 2018
and 2009 held steady – roughly 80 per cent of samples scored 7 out of 10 or better. Audit conclusions and next steps The audit concluded that the cost of quality defects is rising. Some of the increase is due not necessarily to poorer practices, but to the higher value of carcass cutouts. The findings present an opportunity for the industry, producers in particular, to focus on beef quality issues; and for the beef sector as a whole to invest in research and communication that are targeted to improving beef quality. Consumer satisfaction with Canadian beef products remain high The National Beef Quality Audit team outlined some “next steps” for addressing the concerns raised in the audit. Among these is the completion of a priorities survey through which stakeholders can address audit attributes that can be improved and how to go about it.
VIRA SHIELD® HAD A
HIGHER CONCEPTION RATE
*
PROTECTION SHOULDN’T IMPACT
PRODUCTION
The team will soon release a series of fifteen short videos aimed at different parts of the industry, explaining what steps they can take to mitigate lost value. The findings will also be communicated through the Verified Beef Production Plus system. As well, the audit results will be benchmarked in comparison with other beef-producing countries that conduct similar audits. “It’s good information”: Jahnke Jahnke said the audit is a powerful tool for the industry. “It’s not always good news, but it’s good information,” he said. “Cattle prices are up and down, the cost of producing beef is up and down. Being able to see for ourselves how we can retain the value of our product and keep that money in the industry, gives us an opportunity to help ourselves and keep beef profitable. “The rest is up to us.”B
TALK TO YOUR ELANCO SALES REPRESENTATIVE TO LEARN MORE
www.elanco.ca
The label contains complete use information, including cautions and warnings. Always read, understand and follow the labels and use directions. *Defined as artificial insemination conception rate. 1 Perry, G. et al. 2016. “Safety of vaccination with an inactivated or modified live viral reproductive vaccine when compared to sterile saline in beef cows.” J Vet Sci Res, 2(1): 033. Vira Shield, Elanco, and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks owned by or licensed to Eli Lilly and Company, its affiliates or subsidiaries. Other company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. © 2017 Eli Lilly and Company or its affiliates. canada 7771-1 CACTLVSH00011
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 47
Science and Production Online Portal to be Launched in 2018 by Jason Pollock, CEO, Livestock Services of SK
Livestock Services of Saskatchewan (LSS) recently completed a significant project to update and upgrade its internal database that manages producer information and brand information. The Cattle and Horse Inspection Program (CHIP) is an extensive online database system that includes a portal for self-service capacity. Basically, this means you can access your information from your home office or your Smartphone. We are currently looking for producers or dealers to assist us as we move to roll out this self-service portal. In the next few months, we will be hosting a couple of focus group sessions where we’ll be accepting feedback on the portal experience. We have designed the portal with certain functions and features based on our internal knowledge of what is important and what is practical. We would like to get this in front of producers in a focus group to get some feedback for improvement.
be implementing processes that will allow producers to use the eManifests as they would the current paper manifest. The LSS is working through a market integration project which allows producers, truckers, auction markets or buyers to use the eManifest system. It is anticipated that this integration will allow for one-time entry of data and eliminate redundancy. It will also allow for reporting compliance with the national movement database (CCIA) for producers as required by pending legislation. We are in the beginning portion of our annual production cycle and calving is underway. Our goal is to have the focus group sessions completed by the end of June and we will do our best to work
around the pressures that the spring season brings. Completing the focus groups by then gives us some time to make any changes and begin work on rolling out the access to producers and dealers in the fall of 2018. While we don’t yet know the exact details and date of the new animal reporting requirements from the CFIA, we want to be as prepared as possible to provide an easy solution for producers to comply with the new regulations. If you are interested in participating in a focus group that assists the LSS in designing the portal, please contact us at brands@lssc.ca and let us know. We will be organizing these sessions either in person or online depending on the participants. B
The portal offers producers and dealers access to their information. This requires a significant security process at the front end so that we can ensure that the producer or dealer is in fact that producer or dealer. Some will be frustrated by this multi-layered approach to security but we do not want to release any information to an unauthorized person. At this point, information and features that will be available in the portal include; brand renewal and registration, dealer license renewal and registration, inspection appointments, historical brand manifests, historical dealer invoices, the ability to authorize different parties on your account and an eManifest. The eManifest capability of the portal is a significant step forward for commerce as well as animal movement tracking for health reasons. As 2018 progresses, we will
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Vaccinate against anthrax Anthrax is present in the environment across much of Saskatchewan. Beef cattle and bison are the animals most likely to contract the disease, but vaccination provides good protection against it.
Contact your local veterinarian for more information on anthrax vaccines for your herd.
saskatchewan.ca/livestock
| ŠBEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com
MARCH 2018
15th Annual
“Who’s Your Daddy” Bull Sale
Thursday, April 5, 2018 - 1:00 p.m.
Saskatoon Livestock Sales, Saskatoon, SK 306-382-8088 We know that our bulls have to be better just to get your attention! That’s why we cull hard and only sell 50 bulls a year. These are the top cut from over 400 purebred Shorthorn cows. Thick, rugged, BEEF BULLS that are bred to handle the harsh conditions of Western Canada. Also offering a select group of open replacement heifers.
SASKVALLEY DUKE 265D HE SELLS!
MURIDALE CHATTAHOOCHEE 49D Sired by Muridale Jaxson 4A BELL M FOREMAN 30A
2015 Agribition Champion Sons & Daughters sell
Catalogs will be available on our websites. Sale Bull videos at www.youtube.com/whosyourdaddybull
For more information or a catalog, contact:
Saskvalley Stock Farm
Carl Lehmann 306.232.3511 cmlehmann@sasktel.net saskvalleyshorthorns.com
Special Representatives: Dr. Bert Moore 701.541.5035 Larry Toner 306.834.7652 Rolly Bateman 306.320.7466 MARCH 2018
Bell M Farms Richard Moellenbeck 306.287.7904 bellmfarms@outlook.ca bellmfarms.com Internet Bidding Available Through www.dlms.ca
Muridale Shorthorns
Scot Muri 306.741.6833 sjmuri@sasktel.net www.muridale.com
luke@lukebowmanconsulting.com www.lukebowmanconsulting.com
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 49
Science and Production Riding out the Vitamin Shortage by Marusia Kaweski
With grazing on green grass still weeks away, cattle producers are left wondering how the winter vitamin shortage may have impacted the health of their herds. A conjunction of global events in 2017 led to a shortfall in the production of feed grade Vitamisn A and E. What does this shortage mean for producers, their cattle and their bottom line for the upcoming season? Where are the vitamins? Back in the summer of 2017, FeedInfo news service reported that the Chinese government was conducting large-scale environmental inspections to check on compliance with new regulations. This caused a disruption in Vitamin A output. Then in the fall the EU issued new regulations requiring the replacement of the antioxidant ethoxyquin (EQ) as a stabilizer in feed additives. This put a further strain on Vitamin A supplies. A late October fire at the BASF Citral plant in Germany led to a global shortage of Vitamins A and E that is likely to last into the first quarter of 2018. This plant produces nearly half of the global feed grade Vitamin A and some of the Vitamin E precursors in the world. The fire contributed to an already tight supply of these two vitamins which now is impacting vitamin supplies available to feed companies. Industry response In response to the short supply of these specific vitamins, Canadian companies began to redesign their feeds. Major feed companies wanted to stretch their supplies by reducing vitamin fortification levels in feed supplements, yet still remain compliant. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Animal Feed Division and Pre-Market Application Submissions Office recognized the Vitamins A and E shortages and allowed a temporary change in compliance at the end of December to assist feed manufacturers to adapt to a global shortfall. Feed manufacturers were to provide notification of reformulation and
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specify that their product labeling will accurately depict nutrient guarantees. Once the global supply of Vitamins A and E has stabilized, the guarantees for these vitamins would have to return to the levels approved in the manufacturers’ registrations. This interim policy is in effect until May 31, 2018. Specialists at Agriculture and AgriFood Canada as well as the Agriculture ministries of the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta produced a paper about the feed grade Vitamins A and E shortage, outlining its potential risks for animal health and factors for deficiencies. This article is a summary based on their report. The temporary reformulation of feeds with reduced levels of Vitamins A and E is not expected to cause any undue safety or welfare risks to livestock. “There are minimum and maximum levels in feeds and there is a range that you fall between,” Murray Feist Ruminant Nutrition Specialist for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture stated. The reduced vitamin levels still meet regulations set out by the CFIA. Any hopes that producers may have had of stockpiling these two vitamins would also not be a solution. Vitamins A and E degrade over time so products purchased and stored for several months before use may not supply adequate vitamin levels, noted Feist. The CFIA recommends vitamins be used within six months from the date of manufacture. Those purchased before the shortage and stored over winter would be expected to have low effectiveness. Why supplement? There are certain times in the year when vitamin supplementation is required for cattle. During the summer, actively growing plants in hayland and pastures have high levels of Vitamins A and E precursors. These naturally occurring precursors convert to their active form
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and available form to the animal. The amount of vitamin supplied by the growing plants is more than adequate to meet requirements. When forages are cut for hay or grazed after plants have gone dormant, the vitamin precursors oxidize and the potency declines. They do not supply adequate amounts of vitamins to meet animal needs. Two-year-old hay cannot be expected to have any vitamin precursors remaining. The ensiling process for either bagged or chopped silage destroys the vitamin precursors in the forage and should be considered to supply minimal amounts to the ration. When these preserved and stored feeds are being used, supplemental Vitamins A, D and E should be added to diets to avoid deficiency disease symptoms. Vitamin A deficiency can have individual effects that have a ripple effect throughout the whole herd. Some of the main symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency in cattle include: rough hair coat, night blindness, reduced immune function, tearing and dry eye as well as more extreme symptoms like seizures. Deficiency results in reduced feed intake which impacts performance. Other symptoms are low conception rates, reduced bull libido, stillborn calves and abortions. Some of the main deficiency symptoms of Vitamin E are reduced immune function, reduced calf growth rates, white muscle disease and reduced reproductive efficiency. Vitamin A can be stored in the liver for use over a three to four-month period. Vitamin E is stored for only two to four weeks. Therefore, the animal will become Vitamin E deficient more quickly. Reasonable rates of vitamin supplementation for cattle consuming a 3-4-ounce (0.19 – 0.25 lbs.) daily intake of mineral and vitamin supplement are: 500,000 IU/kg of Vitamin A and 1500 to 2500 IU/kg of Vitamin E. By using Guaranteed Analysis levels, the continued on page 52
MARCH 2018
Publication: Beef Business Half Horizontal: 7.625” x 4.875”
Product/Campaign Name: CDC Maverick Date Produced: February 2018
Science and Production Active Missing Livestock Files February 2018
Brand location
RCMP subdivision
Livestock Branch contact
Date reported
10 cows, 5 calves
Left Hip
Broadview
Moosomin 306-4354582
February 1, 2018
Bull
Left Hip
Carlyle
Moosomin 306-4354582
January 22, 2018
Area missing from
Number of head
Animal description
Broadview
15
Kisbey
1
Brand description
Information provided by Livestock Services of Saskatchewan
SEC-MAV18-M_Beef_Biz_SEC-MAV18-M_Beef_Biz.qxd 2018-02-09 11:42 AM Page 1
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Developed by Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan. Genes that fit your farm® is a registered trademark of SeCan.
SEC-MAV18-M MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 51
Science and Production Vitamin Shortage cont. from pg. 50 vitamin content of the supplement can be compared to cattle requirements to determine if the product matches up well with animal needs. It is best to supply vitamins as required on a regular basis. Injectable vitamins have a high availability for the first week or two after an injection, but levels quickly drop in the body. Although some level of vitamins is available for the period indicated on the label, it may not be sufficient to meet requirements after the initial peak has passed. Risk factors for vitamin deficiencies There are many factors that influence vitamin requirements for any individual cow. Some factors depend on the animal, while others are environmental. Regarding the animal factors, a thin animal carries less body fat as a percentage of body weight compared to an animal in good condition. Vitamins are stored primarily in the liver, but some are stored in body fat. Therefore, a thin animal has less storage capacity resulting in it becoming deficient sooner. The vitamin needs vary with the size and age of the animal and its production, such as stage of pregnancy or lactation or bulls during breeding season. There are different levels of concern for vitamin deficiency depending on the animal’s nutritional levels before the shortage. Animals at high risk are those that have been grazing on dry or dormant grass since last July and have received a silage based or straw-grain ration after coming off pasture as well as animals on hay or greenfeed harvested last summer and produced under the same stress conditions. Animals at medium risk are those that grazed forages that went dormant in September and have received medium to marginal quality forage after coming off pasture. Animals on swath grazing or grazing corn for the majority of the winter are in the same situation. Animals at low risk are those that have been fed appropriate amounts of vitamins.
52
Environmental factors may include such features as variable weather patterns the previous year. For example, an excess or lack of precipitation, temperature and sunlight intensity may have had an impact on the formation and storage life of precursors in forages and hay. Any stress factor that reduces the plant efficiency could reduce precursor formation. These levels could also be reduced due to late cutting or other harvest problems. There are a number of key risk factors contributing to a feeding program that is Vitamin A deficient. Some examples are: bleached pasture or drought-grown hay; high-concentrate diets; harvested crop residues; feeds subjected to prolonged storage; feeds with increased oxidation; weathered forages and “heated” or caramelized forage. The main risk factors for a Vitamin E deficient feeding program include feeds that contain high nitrate concentrations, increased oxidation, prolonged storage or weathering and higher levels of polyunsaturated fats. The aftermath Producers can assess herd health status by contacting their local veterinarian and if necessary, doing a blood test for Vitamins A (retinol) and E (alpha-tocopherol). The Vitamin E testing would be more beneficial because of its shorter storage period in the body. Cattle would become deficient in Vitamin E sooner than Vitamin A. Animals that are deficient should be provided with supplemental vitamins at recommended amounts. If vitamin supplies are deficient or are suspected to be deficient, it is recommended to start vitamin feeding programs as soon as possible. Supplementation should continue until animals are turned out onto green grass. However, this becomes problematic in light of the global shortage. This is a critical period of the year for Vitamins A and E deficiencies. As calving season peaks, vitamin requirements are higher for breeding cattle to maintain milk levels for calves and avoid reproductive
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failure. It is vital that young calves receive optimum nutrition for growth. Studies indicate that the majority of Vitamin A is transferred to the fetus during the last three months of pregnancy and by the colostrum in the first 12 hours post-calving. Vitamin E is transferred to the colostrum four to eight weeks prior to calving and is transferred to the calf only by colostrum. Therefore, females in late pregnancy require higher levels of Vitamins A and E approximately eight weeks before calving and for the first three to four months of lactation or until calves are eating significant amounts of growing forage. In the short-term, vitamin deficiencies in individual animals over the next three to six months may not be noticeable especially for herds that have been provided vitamins and minerals as part of a balanced diet to date. These herds are unlikely to experience the effects of a Vitamin A deficiency and may be at some risk of a Vitamin E deficiency due to a more rapid metabolism and shorter storage duration in body tissues. Herds that start calving in March or April may experience more difficulties because the vitamin content in the mineral products have been reduced because of the shortage. Nevertheless, it remains difficult to predict what the impact of the global shortage of feed grade Vitamins A and E will be on the individual health of the animal as well as overall herd health in the long-term. “It is just one or two nutrients out of several,” Feist notes. He added that there are many other vitamins and stressors that can also impact bovine health. “In the meantime, given that there are no other sourcing options, producers will have to wait out the shortage throughout the remaining winter and take care of their cattle as best they can. We try to do the best we can and make sure that cattle can handle the cold weather snaps,” he added. B
MARCH 2018
Stewardship Prairie Provides: Niche Product Branding
by Tom Harrison, Executive Director for SODCAP Inc.
What is Certified Beef? Certified Beef Programs are programs that attach an attribute, or attributes, to an end beef product that the consumer values and therefore will select over other products and be willing to pay a premium price for the product. Beef can be branded as environmentally friendly and marketed as such. Certified Beef programs have been used to market beef raised on grasslands that are managed for conservation purposes. In 2012, the Miistakis Institute published an analysis of existing Certified Beef Programs and concluded that it would be very difficult to pursue a Certified Beef Program for grasslands conservation purposes in Saskatchewan. Five overall challenges were identified about the specific application of such a program on the Canadian Prairies: • Beef may not be the right farm product to market. • There is no evidence that Canadian consumers are aware of or interested in grasslands conservation. • The structure of the Canadian beef industry may only support regional programs. No trickle down in larger branding type programs. • The premium associated with certification programs seems to be insufficient. • There is little evidence to support that the practices associated with these programs actually support the conservation goals.
MARCH 2018
Is there consumer interest? Bluestone Stock Farms, owned by Jason and Karla Hicks, has been direct marketing beef from their ranch for 15 years. Over those years, the Hicks have built important relationships with their customers. When questioned about what their customers are looking for Karla says, “Our consumers are interested in a healthy, natural product. They want to know how the animal grew up, what we fed it, what we did to it during its life, where did the animals’ feed come from and was it raised in a way that complements the environment”. This picture of livestock being raised alongside a variety of wildlife and grassland birds, such as they are at Bluestone Stock Farms, seems to be attractive to consumers.
friendly operations. This trust is built on the habitat monitoring program, ensuring habitat needs are being provided on each operation. This monitoring is the evidence that conservation goals are being met.
While there is no ‘certified’ program in place, there are examples of producers such as the Hicks family direct marketing beef based on environmental benefits at local farmer’s markets or online. This type of niche marketing takes a real sense of entrepreneurship and time must be invested into marketing. To brand beef at a niche market scale, SODCAP Inc. and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) have partnered to develop a “Prairie Provides” logo that producers could attach to their beef product, provided that this habitat is being verified. This logo would imply that the beef is raised on lands also providing habitat for a number of wildlife species.
“Bluestone Stock Farms is interested in niche marketing because it shines a light on what we are already doing. Our practices don’t have to change. We care for our grass and the different ecosystems in our operation already. And caring has paid off – on any given day you can count the number of different bird species or take note of the birds you can hear but never see! We see deer and elk with our herds of cows,” says Hicks. “Niche marketing is one more check mark as a producer, proving we are attempting to do our job well and be held accountable. It is because of this that I do believe there is potential to increase our beef sales.”
The logo and the corresponding marketing is very important. It helps to better engage the public on issues related to grassland and wildlife conservation. It provides the basis for building public trust, brand loyalty and for distinguishing beef raised on habitat-
The 2016 The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) winners, Jason and Karla Hicks make grassland management a constant consideration in every aspect of their decision-making. Niche marketing beef branded as “habitatfriendly”could work well for them. A Habitat Management Agreement would supply the guarantee that they are providing habitat. The logo could be used to connect consumers with conservation values. The result, hopefully, would be a premium for that beef.
Next Steps? While we have agreements in place with producers and the logo has been developed, we need to start putting the logo into the public eye and see what the consumer’s response is. continued on page 54
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 53
Stewardship Prairie Provides cont. from pg. 53 The SSGA is planning to enter into an agreement with producers who direct market beef and provide critical or important habitat for species at risk. SODCAP Inc. staff would conduct field assessments, ensuring appropriate habitat exists. This allows the producer to use and advertise the Prairie Provides logo. Once advertising starts, there will need to be a period of time to allow for consumer recognition to occur. Once that has occurred, we could evaluate consumer uptake and determine if they are making product selection based on the provision of habitat and furthermore, are they willing to pay a premium for it?B
SSGA 105th AGM & Convention Save the Date June 10 - 12, 2018 Stockade Building, Kinetic Exhibition Park Swift Current, SK
5 TH ANNUAL BEEF EVENT! YOUTH EVENT: Market Steer & Heifer Classes Grooming Presentations by:
SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS: Project Selection Livestock Handling Showmanship
saskatoonex.com/beefexpo
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/PrairielandParkAgCentre
MARCH 2018
e c r i u o o h Y C
B ULL & H EIFER S ALE e t Monday Da ew
April 2, 2018
N
South Shadow Resource 52E
GREAT CATTLE
FROM A SALE YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
60 Yearling Bulls 1 0 Yearling Heifers
1:00 pm (CST)
Cowtown Livestock • Maple Creek SK Photos, Data, Videos , Sale Catalogue will be available on our ranch website
South Shadow 73C 00 Duty 73E
Boundary Resource 43E
A Family Tradition for Over 50 Years
With integrity and pride we offer Your Choice of sound, progressive breeding stock genetics. South Shadow Ruby 95E
We Welcome Your Calls & Requests for Herd Tours, Information or Sale Catalogues Private Treaty Sales
Open Heifers in Spring ... Bred Heifers in the Fall ... Prospects/Riding Horses
South Shadow • Boundary & Jay En Dee • Kay Dee & Prairie Pride Don & Connie Delorme
Box 28, Robsart, SK. S0N 2G0
dcdelorme@sasktel.net HOME: 306.299.4494 CELL: 306.299.7778
www.DelormeRanch.ca MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 55
Stewardship What the Heck is an AUM? by Tara Mulhern Davidson
Forage production can be measured in several ways. Producers may count forage by the bale, or perhaps measure it as pounds per acre or even kilograms per hectare. When it comes to grazing however, the amount of grass available on rangeland is typically measured in Animal Unit Months (AUM). AUMs are used for grazing lease agreements, establishing fees, calculating stocking rates, and balancing pasture forage supply and demand but what exactly is an AUM?
below compares two pastures with similar range types from different soil zones.
What about the pasture in the Black Soil Zone with 352 AUMs?
(adapted from Range Plan Development, Saskatchewan Pasture and Grazing Technologies Project, 1990)
Available AUMs will not fluctuate a lot from one year to the next. However, they may gradually shift. For example, if a previously overgrazed prairie pasture in poor range condition receives proper rest and recovers over a period of years, the plant community may shift, the range condition may improve, and available AUMs may increase to reflect the recovered prairie. Conversely, if pastures are grazed above their carrying capacity for a long period of time, the condition and health of the range may deteriorate as well the pasture’s ability to provide forage.
Using the numbers from the chart, you will see a section of excellent native prairie on a sandy range site in the Dry Brown Soil Zone will provide about 128 AUMs of forage (640 acres multiplied by 0.20 AUM/acre). A section of excellent native prairie on a sandy range site in the Black Soil Zone will provide about 352 AUMs of forage (640 acres multiplied by 0.55 AUM/ acre).
An Animal Unit Month (AUM) is defined as the amount of forage a 1000 pound cow (with or without a calf) will eat in a one month time frame. It is a method of measuring forage, similar to bales or pounds. There is no firm number attached to one AUM, however many guides and publications suggest a cow will eat 1.53.5% of her body weight each day.
How much forage do I need? Calculating stocking rates can be straight forward as long as your cows weigh 1000 pounds, but what happens if they weigh more? An Animal Unit Equivalent (AUE) can be used when calculating stocking rates to better reflect the reality of your operation. For example, if your average grazing cows weigh 1300 pounds, you can use 1.3 as an animal unit equivalent. If you are grazing yearlings, you may use 0.6 or 0.7 as an animal unit equivalent when calculating stocking rates.
The adage ‘take half and leave half’ applies as AUMs do not account for the entire amount of forage available in a pasture. They are measured with consideration for leaving adequate carryover for regrowth and habitat maintenance. How much forage is available? The number of available AUMs a pasture can produce depends on many factors. With respect to native prairie, available AUMs will depend on the condition (species of plants) and rangeland health, the soil zone and range type. The chart
Achieving proper stocking rates on native range is both an art and a science. Carefully monitoring your range resources and understanding how much forage your livestock are consuming are key for ensuring your pastures will sustain the livestock, the environment and your beef business long into the future. B
Using the numbers from the previous section, if your pasture in the Dry Brown Soil Zone provides 128 AUMs of forage, how many 1300 lb pairs would that support for a 5 month grazing season?
TABLE 1. ESTIMATED STOCKING RATES FOR ZONES ACROSS SASKATCHEWAN (IN AUM/ACRES)
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RANGE SITE:
DRY BROWN SOIL ZONE
RANGE CONDITION
Clayey
DARK BROWN BLACK SOIL SOIL ZONE ZONE Loamy
Sandy
Clayey
Loamy
Sandy
Clayey
Loamy
Sandy
EXCELLENT
0.25
0.25
0.20
0.45
0.45
0.40
0.55
0.55
0.45
GOOD
0.20
0.20
0.16
0.36
0.3
0.32
0.44
0.44
0.36
FAIR
0.16
0.16
0.13
0.29
0.29
0.26
0.35
0.35
0.28
POOR
0.13
0.13
0.10
0.23
0.23
0.21
0.28
0.28
0.23
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MARCH 2018
Association News, Reports, and Events SSGA-OLS: A Winning Partnership The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association has partnered with OLS, Orwig Livestock Supplements, to form a winning collaboration that will ultimately benefit farmers. “Orwig’s Tubs Inc. is pleased to continue supporting the SSGA as they advocate for the beef industry in Saskatchewan,” stated Jay Fitzpatrick of OLS. When members purchase a tub from OLS, the company will donate $1 to the SSGA for each tub purchased. Members are asked to send receipts from purchases to the SSGA office for verification. “By purchasing OLS tubs members are able to make a meaningful contribution to the SSGA,” stated Shane Jahnke, SSGA President. “This is a valuable partnership for the SSGA because these funds are used to support programs and activities that benefit producers.” The program has been ongoing since January 1, 2017.
livestock’s seasonal needs. “Orwig’s” Tubs Inc. is common sense nutrition. It is the lowest cost per head per day,” Fitzpatrick added. Convenient and easy to handle
with an unlimited shelf life, OLS Tubs provides many benefits leading to overall healthier livestock with higher conception rates. B
OLS will donate $1 to SSGA for every tub purchased by an SSGA member since January 1, 2017. Send in a copy of your receipts to the SSGA office for verification. Please mail your receipts to: SK Stock Growers Association Box 4752, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4
p: 306.757.8523 e: ssga@sasktel.net w: www.skstockgrowers.com
OLS Tubs offers a well-balanced vitamin and mineral program that complements
Grazing Rates $11.19 $10.87
$12
$8.97
$10 $8 $6 $4
$3.93 $3.93
$5.00
$7.17
$6.09 $5.99 $6.42
$2
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
$0
Series1
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 57
Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Shorthorn Association Report by Betty Wyatt, Secretary/Treasurer
Between July 26-30, 2017, the The Saskatchewan Shorthorn Commercial handing out ribbons, banners, trophies Saskatchewan Junior Shorthorn Breeder award for 2017 went to Leonard and standing in for the official photos. The Saskatchewan Stock and Growers Association hosted the Canadian Junior Debbie McCrae of Mankota. They If any young woman is interested in ShorthornAssociation Show in Lloydminster. Numbers were presented with a jacket at the performing the Lassie duties, please has entered into a were small, but the juniors and parents banquet and a gate sign at half time at the contact me or any board member. It is partnership to were pleased with what thewith juniorsFlaman had National Show. Congratulations to these just for the day of the show and not a learned and the quality of cattle brought very deserving recipients. huge commitment, but one that is sorely increase Memberships and to show. The junior show will be in Ontario needed! Subscription readership. Two 4-H members were recognized in 2018 and we encourage everyone to for achieving Grand Champion status attend and support the show. Please mark your calendar for the with their Shorthorn projects: Royce Canadian Shorthorn Annual General The Canadian National Shorthorn Show Moellenbeck with his Grand Champion Meeting to be held in Moose Jaw, SK was held in Regina on November 24, 2017 Female at his local club achievement at the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa on in the brand new International Trade day and Ryanne Erickson with her Grand June 14, 15 and 16. Speakers, events and Centre. The buildings are second to none Champion FemaleAs at her regional show. are being planned in addition to of September 1,tours 2008 the Saskatchewan The sponsored membership in the country. All exhibitors and visitors Congratulations members! the meeting in this historic, old town. You prizeand by hats Flaman will be a Stock Growers will be a major prize enjoyed the new facility off to won’toffering be disappointed! If you are a 4-H member and achieve those people whose years of organizing, draw for all paid new and renewal of existing Grand Champion status at your club fundraising and foresight have been The Saskatchewan Shorthorn Board of achievement day memberships or reach Grand or as follows: realized. Directors wish to extend a huge THANK Specs: Full rear door, side door, Reserve Grand Champion at your regional YOU to Bob Riviere of Uluru Shorthorns for slots for side window slides, rock guard, Our exhibitor and cattle numbers were show with a Shorthorn influenced project donating his time, effort and knowledge 2-3,500 lb toreflex axles Newto or Existing Memberships: up significantly so we provided a very and stated as such at the time of entry as project manager on behalf of the good showing of what the Shorthorn the shows, send a short review of your 4-H Canadian 1 year $105.00 Shorthorn Association. 1 entry The CSA The member that sells the most SSGA new industry has become. Class winner prizes project and season along with a hard copy president commented about him, “I’m memberships will receive a free registration for project 2 year $194.25 2 entries were provided by the Saskatchewan photo of your (at least 5”x7”) to the sure glad we had him, we couldn’t have . two toCongratulations the2009 SSGA AGM Shorthorn Association. secretary (Betty Wyatt Boxspousal 27 Wawota, done it without him.” Thanks Bob! 2 year $97.12 1 entry to Rylan Knupp of Diamond Creek SK S0G 5A0) or to the Saskatchewan 3 year $262.50 3 entries Cattle Co., Weyburn, showing Hill Haven Shorthorn 4-H representative (Jodi This year’s Alliance Shorthorn sale in 3 year spousal $131.25 offered additional 2 entries Verona Girl 2E and being awarded Grand Hawken Box 126 Glenavon, SK S0G 1Y0) Saskatoon lots of Champion Female and to Dale Asser of Hill no later than September 1, 2018 to receive quality commercial females for sale. The Life $1050.00 10 entries Haven Shorthorns, Duntroon, Ontario for a Saskatchewan Shorthorn award. Your consignors were very happy with the spousal $525.00 4 entries B bringing out her senior bull Hill Haven Fire photos will be usedLife at the Canadian results. Storm 28C that attained Grand Champion Western Agribition (CWA) for promotional executive and committee Bull status. We extend our sincere thanks purposes. All draws will be made atFor theupdated 2009 SSGA Annual Convention members, check out our website at www. to Bar 7 Bar and Morand Industries as well I wish to thank Danica Kiefer who has saskshorthorns.com. as Element Technical Services for adding For more information or to become a member, acted as the Saskatchewan Shorthorn to the stakes in the championship round. please Lassie for the last two years. Thecontact Lassie the SSGA office at 306-757-8523 The exhibitors were very pleased to is an important part of the CWA show, receive awards for their entries.
SSGA MEMBERSHIP
Drive
12’ BERGEN STOCK TRAILER
Membership type: Member
Associate
Membership status:
Affiliate (call for rate)
Renewal
New
1 Year $157.50................... Spousal $78.75 Spousal $145.69 2 Year $291.38 .................... 3 Year $393.75 .................... Spousal $196.88 Lifetime: $2625.00 ............ Spousal $1312.50 Junior Membership 1 Year $26.75 2 Year $52.50 3 Year $78.75 Subscription 1 Year $26.25 2 Year $47.25 3 Year $68.25
58
Name _______________________________________________ _ Address_ ____________________________________________ _ City/Town______________ Prov_____
Postal Code _________
SSGA MEMBERSHIP
Drive
Phone (________) _________________________________Email ______________________________ Ranch/company name___________________________________________Herd Size ________________ Fall Sale Dates___________________________Spring Sale Dates ________________________________
| ©BEEF BUSINESS www.skstockgrowers.com MARCH In order to be eligible to | receive the prize a member, subscriber or advertiser who’s entry is drawn must answer a g skill question. testin The chances of winning the sponsored membership prize draw is2018 dependant on the number and type of membership sold during the membership drive of September 1, 2008 to the 2009 AGM. During a comparable d in 2007, perio there were approximately 300 new and renewal memberships sold.
Vision Unanimous 1418
Spring Bull Sale
Wednesday, April 4, 2018 4M Element 405
At the Ranch, Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan Selling 200 Black Angus Yearling Bulls
Cull Bull Incentive Program
This year we’re offering the best cull bull incentive program you will find anywhere. With the cull bull market down a bit from previous years we are going to help you get the most out of those old broken, down worn out bulls. Why take a chance on bunch of open cows this fall when you can replace them with fresh strong new bulls. All you have to do is email us prior to the bull sale or bring a copy of your bill of sale from the auction market after selling your cull bulls and you will receive a $500 credit on each new replacement bull you buy. (eg: If you cull 5 bulls you will receive a $500 deduction for each of the 5 replacement bulls you buy.) Credits must be used on a per bull basis and you cannot use more than 1 credit toward a new bull.
View Sale Book at www.peakdotranch.com or phone Carson Moneo 306-266-4414 Clay Moneo 306-266-4411 Email:peakdot@gmail.com
Bush Easy Decision 98
Hoover No Doubt
Schiefelbein Attractive
Bushs Wind Chill 982
Janssen Earnhardt 5003
Peak Dot Foothills 1012B
MARCH 2018
KR Cash Flow
SAV Radiance 0801
SAV Top Soil 4354
www.skstockgrowers.com | ŠBEEF BUSINESS | 59
Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Angus Association Report by Sheldon Kyle, President
As our 2018 calves arrive, we enter a new production cycle with excitement and anticipation of what these calves have the potential of becoming. Soon we will also be faced with a postal box jam-packed with bull sale catalogues that will include some of the freshest and finest genetics to be offered to the beef industry. Roughly two-thirds of our great nation’s beef herd is currently Angus influenced. Consumers recognize Angus beef in the retail space as a quality product and branded Angus beef programs are continually driving the demand for Angus influenced feeder calves. There is no doubt that these are exciting times to be involved in the Angus breed in Canada. The Angus breed is not the only beef breed to ever have established a prominent position at the top of the Canadian beef industry. You don’t need to drive very far in my neck of the woods to find the old and weathered farm signs at the end of driveways that once proudly promoted another breed that was on top of the pile back in the 1980s. Recently, one of these retiring breeders told me that I needed to purchase a few of his cows because his breed was going to be extinct. This breeder’s comments may be a bit extreme, but it got me thinking about how something that was once a dynasty has now crumbled into ruin within such a brief period of time. “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana
60
As a breed, we need to remain diligent, adaptive and prepared. We can not lose sight of what has made our breed such a force in the industry – the mother cow. Angus is a maternal breed that has often been duplicated but NEVER fully replicated. It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well, we are flattered but we won’t quit being better than the rest. Angus influenced cows are currently the backbone of the commercial beef industry and we need to keep them there.
breeder information workshops across the province. These workshops are a terrific opportunity to learn more about industry issues, potential funding programs and better management practices. Our highly successful summer tour continues to be a highlight of our Saskatchewan Angus calendar. There are plans underway for a tour in the southeastern corner of the province based out of Weyburn August 8-9, 2018. Make plans to join us as we tour the Red Coat Trail and many great Saskatchewan Angus herds along the way.
We need to be willing to recognize opportunities and quickly embrace change. I believe one such opportunity has clearly presented itself and we need to take hold of it and run with it. Currently, the demand for Canadian Angus verified product is outpacing the supply. We NEED to get more Angus and Angus influenced feeder cattle identified with Canadian Angus tags. If you are proud enough to tell everyone that you raise Angus cattle, why not clearly identify them as such? The program is simple, easy to use and convenient. The green tag visually and electronically verifies calves as 50 per cent Angus, is CCIA compliant, offers free thirdparty age verification and can be shipped directly to your mailbox.
Our Annual General Meeting was hosted as a part of the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference in Saskatoon. There is no doubt that Saskatoon was the place to be if you are a beef producer in the province of Saskatchewan. The speaker line-up was educational, entertaining and informative. If you don’t learn something or meet someone new at an event like this, you were simply not trying hard enough. I want to thank all the Angus breeders that made the effort to attend the conference and our AGM. The benefits of being involved and engaged in industry events are limitless.
To order your tags, contact the Canadian Angus Association at 888-571-3580, or call our Saskatchewan Association 306-7576133 as we stock a few there now that are available for pick-up. I want to challenge you to talk with your loyal Angus customers about the Canadian Angus Tag Program and promote how easy it is for them to identify their calves as Angus influenced this spring. As a provincial association, we have implemented a successful mentorship program over the last few years in the hope of preparing a new generation of Angus breeders. Along with this program, we have delivered various
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We have a few fresh faces on our Board of Directors and look forward to having them share their thoughts, vision and ideas with us over the next few years. I need to thank our outgoing directors for their tireless efforts and commitment during their time serving on the board. Our association is better due to the time and effort that you have committed while serving on our Board of Directors. I look forward to serving the membership of the Saskatchewan Angus Association as your president in 2018 and I hope our paths will cross at one of the many Angus events on our busy schedule. Make sure to mark your calendar for the upcoming 2018 National Convention and AGM to be held June 7-10 in the beautiful Comox Valley, BC. B
MARCH 2018
photo credit Golden Thread Livestock Images
Born alive with the ability to thrive
Calving ease = peace of mind
Traditionally, producers have selected for calving ease by choosing to use low birth weight bulls, thinking that low birth weight means high calving ease. The two traits are associated but they are not the same. Low birth weight contributes to calving ease, but it is not the complete answer. Females should be able to easily calve a calf that is seven percent of their body weight, so females ranging between 1100-1500 pounds should calve a 77-105 pound calf unassisted. Successful calving is also genetically influenced by the shape of the calf, gestation and calf vigour. All traits where Angus leads the competition.
Saskatchewan Angus Association
Regina, SK | e: office@saskatchewanangus.com ph: 306.757.6133 | fax: 306.525.5852
www.saskatchewanangus.com
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 61
Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Bison Association Report by Les Kroeger, President
The Canadian bison industry continued to benefit from strong finished bison prices supported by strong consumer demand in the United States and parts of Europe. In addition to their strength, prices have been relatively stable with some variability created by fluctuating exchange rates. Also, Canada’s signing of the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union resulted in removal of the 20 per cent tariff on bison meat products. These conditions have created industry optimism and opportunities for investment and growth. Annual Average Prices of Grade “A” Slaughter Bulls According to the 2016 census information that was released in May 2017, the 303 Saskatchewan bison producers made up 31 per cent of the national producer population who owned 34 per cent (40,418 bison) of the Canadian bison herd. It is also important to note that, although there was a slight decrease in national bison census numbers between 2011 and 2016, Saskatchewan is the only province that experienced an increase in bison numbers between 2011 and 2016 – a growth of 2.75%. The growth of the bison industry is expected to continue. Current bison producers have been expanding their herds and a number of people have entered the industry. There is also an expression of interest in the industry by others. Domestic female slaughter and fewer female exports to the United States is reinforcing this trend. To assist those interested in growing and/ or investing in the bison industry, under
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the leadership of the Saskatchewan Bison Association and in partnership with the Canadian Bison Association, the industry has collected seven years of financial and production performance data to develop benchmarks for the bison industry. Benchmark information has been developed for cow-calf, backgrounding and finishing operations. This information is also made available to policy makers as well as financial institutions to assist them in evaluating bison producer investment proposals. This project has been made possible through producer support and funding from Saskatchewan Agriculture and an Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency contribution.
educational event on Ted Turner’s Flying D Ranch in Montana. At that meeting representatives of the Canadian Bison Association, the US National Bison Association, the Intertribal Buffalo Council and the Wildlife Conservation Society announced a commitment to grow the North American bison herd to one million, more information will be shared in the coming months.
In July 2017, a number of Saskatchewan producers attended the International Bison Conference in Big Sky, Montana. Of the 600 attendees, over 40 per cent were from Canada. In addition to excellent educational and networking opportunities, convention attendees also had the opportunity to attend an
As we have several members who raise both bison and cattle, please do not hesitate to contact the Saskatchewan Bison Association office at 306-5856304 if you are interested in obtaining information about opportunities in the bison industry. B
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Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Limousin Association Report by Jeff Yorga
The Limousin breed had another fantastic year in 2017. The Saskatchewan Limousin Association is excited to report continued growth at the breeder level. As well, we have seen continued growth and acceptance from commercial cattleman. It is well known that Limousin are a great terminal cross and astute cattleman are realizing the benefit at calving time. Calves that come easy and get up and suck right away make calving time problem free especially in larger herds. On the show road, Limousin cattle rose to the top. In Alberta, a Limousin heifer bred and owned by Boss Lake Genetics won the first ever Alberta Triple Crown! Closer
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to home a Limousin bull from Greenwood Limousin at Lloydminster and owned by Nordal Limousin won the RBC Beef Supreme at Agribition! Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all the exhibitors who made the 2017 show season so exciting. Bull sale season will be in full swing at the time of printing this magazine. Your Saskatchewan Limousin breeders look forward to filling your order and helping to put pounds on your calves! Please check out the association’s Facebook page for more information and a list of breeders and sales. Join us June 20, 2018 at the Elbow Golf Club for our Annual General Meeting at 11:30 am, golf to follow. B 2017-2018 SLA Board of Directors President: Rhett Jones Vice-President: Eric Martens
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Congratulations to Doug and Sherry Hobman on being named the 2017 Commercial Producer of the Year. Left to right: Jeff Yorga, Doug and Sherry Hobman, Rhett Jones (SLA President)
Secretary: Eric Boon Treasurer: Janet Hale Past President: Kevin Rea Jeff Yorga Ryley Bielecki Jay Bohrson Lee Carpenter Carey Hirschfeld
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Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Charolais Association Report by Kelly Howe, President
On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to extend best wishes for 2018. It has been a very busy and successful year for the Saskatchewan Charolais Association. The year 2017 marked one of the most successful bull sale seasons yet for Charolais breeders in the province with the second highest number of bulls being sold in the last 36 years. With these results and the acceptance of the Charolais Cross calf at the market these past two seasons, we do believe our provincial Charolais breeders are producing a great product. I would like to thank every commercial producer for selecting Charolais genetics in 2017 and I hope you continue to trust in our great product. Another thank you goes to our 4-H club and youth. We awarded over 100 promo items to provincial youth for exhibiting Charolais influenced cattle this past year. This was a record number for our program and it was great to see the success of the Charolais steer and female working for our provincial youth. We also know that there is likely more out there. If you are showing a Charolais influenced calf, please follow the information in the 4-H guide and submit your picture and information to the Saskatchewan Charolais Association. As well, we started a new program this year where any youth exhibiting a Charolais influenced animal as a project is eligible to have their name in a draw for a $1,000 sale credit toward a purebred Charolais heifer from any Saskatchewan Charolais breeder. Our hope is to encourage our young people to start their own Charolais herd. Congratulations to Morgan Debenham on winning the sale credit this year.
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Make sure to keep your eye on the Saskatchewan 4-H publication along with our website to submit your photos and information for your Charolais gift and a chance at a sale credit this upcoming fall. Submissions need to be into the association before our AGM on July 21, 2018. We held our 54th AGM and Pen Show this past year in Moose Jaw on July 30, 2017 at Johnstone’s Auction Mart. Close to 20 pens of cow/calf pairs, calves and bred heifers were on display to enhance our AGM and a steak dinner was held that night. I would like to thank our two retiring directors, Carey Weinbender and Mike McAvoy, for their service to the board, to the breed and to the province. We welcomed two new directors to threeyear terms: Jordan Moore of Redvers and Matt Jones of Gull Lake. With over 50 members in attendance along with local commercial breeders, the event was a huge success. Make sure you mark your calendars for the 2018 AGM and Pen Show at McTavish Charolais in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, on July 21, 2018.
•
Regional 4-H Champions: o Will Banford o Calina Evans o Paige Lehman o Rylan MacGillivary o Tristen Franc
Thank you again to all of the commercial breeders in the province who allow us to be in this business. The livestock industry is in good hands with the strength of Saskatchewan’s youth and their families producing a great product. Be sure to check for Charolais pre-sorted sales at your local auction mart when you market your calves this fall. These sales fill up fast as buyers are looking for Charolais influenced cattle. Many sales are sponsored by your local purebred Charolais breeders. B If you are looking for a source for Charolais bulls in your area, please visit our website at http://www.charolaisbanner.com/sca/ index.htm for the Saskatchewan Charolais Breeder Directory with a listing of great Charolais genetics right in your backyard.
The 2017 Canadian Western Agribition was a huge success once again. With near record numbers in the purebred show, it was great to see the excitement in the barns with the new facility. Between a successful commercial show and purebred show and sale, Agribition has proven itself the place to be for the livestock industry. Congratulations to the following recipients who were given awards at Agribition: • • •
2017 Charolais Commercial Breeder of the Year: Curt and Julie Chickoski, Martens Ranch Ltd., Swift Current, SK; 2017 Charolais Purebred Breeder of the Year: The Weinbender Family, Sliding Hills Charolais, Canora, SK; 2017 Herdsman Award: Matt Jones, Jones Charolais, Gull Lake, SK.
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MARCH 2018
Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Simmental Association Report by Carolyn McCormack, Secretary/Treasurer
s„™‘„š†‹ˆž„” sŒ““ˆ”š„’@a™™•†Œ„šŒ•” The Saskatchewan Simmental Association had a successful year in 2017! The SSA works hard to promote the Simmental breed and support its members and 2017 was another busy year. We strive to promote the breed at purebred and commercial levels, as well as through support and encouragement of our youth – the future of the breed and the cattle industry. Spring bull sales, once again, remained strong and proved that the demand for Simmental genetics is getting stronger. The SSA “Win a $2,000 sale credit Bull Promotion” has proven to be very successful. Any bulls purchased from SSA members and the registration papers transferred automatically enters the buyer’s name into a draw for a $2,000 sale credit. The more bulls you purchase, the more chances you have to win! This credit is drawn at our AGM in July and the lucky winner has one year to use the credit to purchase a bull or female at public auction or private treaty. Congratulations to the 2017 winner, Dwight Jorgenson of Redvers, SK. The SSA celebrated the 50 anniversary, in 2017, of the first Simmental animals imported to Canada by hosting the National Simmental Show at Agribition and the “50 for 50” Simmental Sale. In conjunction with the Simmental events held at Agribition, the Federation of the Americas also held their international meetings at Agribition, took part in the Simmental events at Agribition and toured around Regina. th
The 2017 Purebred and Commercial Breeders of the Year were awarded during the Simmental Show at Agribition. The 2017 Purebred Breeder of the Year Award went to Black Gold Simmental of
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Lloydminster, SK; Spring Creek Colony, headed by Andy Hofer of Walsh, AB (main farm located west of Maple Creek, SK) was awarded the 2017 Commercial Breeder of the Year Award. Both families received 3’x 6’ farm signs in recognition of their achievements. The SSA continues to strongly support 4-H and youth programs in Saskatchewan. All members exhibiting a Simmental or Simmental influenced animal received a pair of SSA gloves. The SSA also gave out hoodies to Grand and Reserve Champions at all regional 4-H shows and spring steer and heifer shows to qualifying winners. The SSA awards scholarships to juniors moving on to post-secondary education. This year’s recipients were: Dayne Whelan, Dylan Sebastian, Alexis Ashworth, Wyatt Miller, Paige Holmquist, Toby Noble, Bethany Harland and Ryley Noble. To
qualify to receive a scholarship, applicants or their parents must be members of the Saskatchewan Simmental Association and the application deadline is October 1, 2018. The Saskatchewan Simmental Association Board of Directors continues to work hard promoting and encouraging the breeding of Simmental cattle. The board members are: President – Ryan Lundberg, Vice President – Tyler Libke, Directors –Jody Woytiuk, Donna Asher, Lyle Forden, Sarah Delorme, Kirsten Fornwald, Kyle Ashworth and Jada Tyler. Their hard work and dedication in the past and in the future will ensure the Simmental breed will continue to thrive in Saskatchewan. B For a list of upcoming spring bull sales or classifieds, go to our website www. sasksimmental.com or follow us on Facebook.
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MARCH 2018
Association News, Reports, and Events SaskMilk Report
by Joy Smith, Manager Policy & Communications
Some politicians – and media – spend a lot of time trying to convince farmers that they are each other’s enemy when it comes to trade. Dairy farmers (and the supply management system) are usually singled out as the ‘problem’ and described as impediments to trade deals that would benefit other farmers. We’d like to bust a few of these myths and hopefully encourage some understanding about how we operate. How does it work? Simply put, supply management (SM) works by doing three things: matching production to domestic/Canadian demand; setting the price that farmers receive for their product at a sustainable and cost-covering level; and by controlling imports so the market is stable and predictable. What we DON’T do is short the production to drive up prices, set any of the prices at the retail level or completely shut out imports. In addition, farmer income is not supplemented by any government subsidies or supports. Do you set the price? Only the price the farmer receives for the raw product (in our case, milk). From there, the milk goes to the processor, then wholesalers or foodservice and to retailers. We don’t decide what products the milk will be turned into, nor do we have any say in the pricing through the rest of the chain. The price the farmers receive is based on an average ‘cost of production’ as well as the components of the milk they produced (how much butterfat, protein, etc.). Do you tell farmers how much they can produce? Yes, farmers are limited to producing their share (or quota) so that the Canadian market is satisfied, but without so much excess milk that we have to look to export markets. Essentially,
being an SM system means that we have chosen to service the domestic market and not become an export industry.
have their supports as well – the US Farm Bill and the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, for example.
Aren’t you giving up export opportunities! Perhaps some, but really not much. Only a small part (less than 9%) of global dairy production is exported/ traded at all. It’s just the nature of the product, so we’re satisfied with the choice to focus on Canada.
Anything else? We too are Saskatchewan residents and farmers so we really do understand how important trade is for our economy. Export-oriented farmers are our friends and neighbours, and we want to see them succeed – we just don’t believe it is necessary for one of our ag industries to be traded away in order for others to achieve that success. We’re always happy to answer any other questions or provide information to satisfy your curiosity. If there are things you’d like to know, please feel free to ask and visit our website at http://www.saskmilk.ca/ B
Are you hurting our chances for trade deals by shutting out imports? Well, there are a couple of issues with that kind of question. First of all, Canada doesn’t shut out imports of SM products. In fact, we’re rather generous compared to some other countries. In dairy, Canada imports over 10% of our dairy market (yes really) while the US allows only about 3%. The US has a trade surplus with Canada in dairy of a 5:1 ratio. Secondly, supply management hasn’t stopped Canada from achieving trade deals – Canada has signed 13 trade deals involving more than 50 countries since 1989. We are not anti-trade, we just know that all countries have areas that are left out of their trade deals and we ask that dairy be one of them for Canada. What was that about farmer income? As every farmer knows, agriculture is different from other economic sectors because it poses a high level of risk AND because of the essential nature of food. These risks and essential nature justify special treatment to mitigate the chronic instability of revenue received by farmers – this special treatment is recognized by governments around the world and result in support policies, market regulation and measures excluding some agriculture from trade agreements. In some industries, there are more support policies and in others more regulation. SM industries fall on the regulated side, whereas other industries (such as beef) fall more on the support policies side. Both are valid approaches! Other countries
Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Goat Breeders Association Report by Corbin St. John
association forward on a number of fronts. Some of the items include: • The Saskatchewan Goat Breeders Association Incorporated was founded in the mid 1970s by dedicated goat producers throughout the province to become the representative voice of the goat industry in Saskatchewan. The association was established as a not-forprofit entity managed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by the general membership and it continues to function as such to this day. The mandate of the SGBA is to provide information, education and credible resources regarding all aspects of the industry to producers to enable their access to best practices, regulatory requirements and operational improvement opportunities. Vision and Mission Statements of the SGBA commit to the collaboration and sharing of experience and research with all stakeholders to ensure the Association fulfills its obligation of providing the leadership to guide the goat industry into the future. This year was the first in a long time that goats were not shown at the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina. It is a lot of work to put on a show and sale and with it being so late in the year, there was not enough interest generated. Instead, we put all of our resources into setting up a trade show booth. It was successful and went off without a hitch. Many visitors to Agribition stopped by to ask about the business opportunities with goats, both in meat and dairy. Hopefully, we can organize this year and put a show and sale on again. The SGBA Board of Directors met in person and worked to develop a list of projects that we hope will move the
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• • • • •
Additional production sales opportunities Webinars, seminars and hands-on producer educational opportunities Group marketing studies New producer support services Public education and awareness Marketing co-op
The thrust of our efforts this year will be education, which includes topics on getting into goats, new medications, feeding, housing and learning to keep costs down when raising goats. Also, another big push is to work with producers to provide more opportunities in marketing the meat of goats. Chevon is the most consumed red meat in
the world. With a growth in ethnic populations who traditionally consume chevon, the demand has never been stronger. Therefore, we would like to assist producers in achieving the best prices possible. As always, any new venture takes work and time. Our current Board of Directors is comprised of all volunteer producers who devote their spare moments to grow this industry for all. In order to be successful with these new endeavours, we are looking for members to work with us. If you are able to share some of your time to volunteer to become a Board member or even to volunteer to support a specific project, please visit our website at http:// saskgoatbreeders.com/index.html to contact us directly. We would love to hear from you! B
SSGA Zone Meetings SSGA Zone 4 Annual Meeting March 9 at 3 pm Eastend Memorial Hall Eastend, SK
SSGA Zones 3 & 12 Annual Meeting March 10 at 2 pm Walker Place Swift Current, SK
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MARCH 2018
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Association News, Reports, and Events Beef Industry Gathers for Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference The 2018 Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference took place January 23-26 in Saskatoon bringing together beef producers, association members and industry specialists in the sector. The conference was aptly titled “What’s Your Piece of the Puzzle?” reflecting the broad range of presentation topics, speakers and exhibits. In between educational presentations, participants had plenty of time to network and connect with others in the beef industry. Trade show exhibits presented the latest technologies, product lines and information from commercial companies, industry associations and programs. Within the framework of the conference, breed associations, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association and the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association held their annual or semiannual meetings. Representatives from government, including Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart, were in attendance and addressed the conference. A series of presentations on forage, animal health, taxation and industry updates were scheduled over the two main meeting days. During the set of presentations covering beef and forage topics, Dr. Karen Beauchemin, Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, addressed methane emissions and how this relates to feed. She noted that the topic has garnered a lot of media interest but pointed out the inaccuracy of some of the methane figures being reported. Beauchemin noted that, in the last 30 years, bovine greenhouse gas emissions have dropped in Canada and are now the lowest in the world due to reproduction efficacy. Other topics included the use of cover crops and polycultures to improve soil health as well as exploring the most costeffective ways for corn grazing. Murray Feist, Ruminant Nutrition Specialist with the SK Ministry of Agriculture, spoke about water quality a popular topic in
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light of last year’s drought in southern Saskatchewan. He noted a spike in testing following an incident this past summer when cattle perished due to high salinity levels of water. Feist walked participants through ways to interpret testing results. Another set of sessions were devoted to veterinary issues and cow health, including sessions on vaccination, vitamins and pain management. Lance Stockbrugger, a chartered accountant, presented on taxation and farm succession. Recent federal changes to corporate taxation have left producers with questions about structuring their financing. And a series of sessions updated participants about cattle industry news. A highlight of the conference was the visionary keynote presentation by Murad Al-Katib, President and CEO of AGT Foods and Ingredients based in Regina. The entrepreneur of the year winner brought an exciting message about global protein opportunities. He noted that consumer spending on meat in Asia has reached $300 billion and is growing. He encouraged beef producers to team up with other protein producers to help expand market share in these emerging and niche markets. He encouraged the beef industry to go on the offensive and communicate its positive message to consumers while exploring these market opportunities. The conference also enlightened producers about consumer perspectives on beef. Attracting a lot of attention was a beef preparation demonstration by chefs Abe Van Melle and Duane Ellard. The two focused on cuts and preparation techniques to best showcase beef products. Later on at the closing banquet, participants sampled expertly prepared sterling prime rib beef courtesy of Cargill Meat Solutions. A consumer panel helped identify for producers some of the factors that go into
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purchasing food and whether they buy beef; steaks and burgers were popular selections. The panel explored how the media influences buyer perceptions. Notably, beef was a meat of choice in Saskatchewan meal-planning. It was part of at-home and dining out experiences. Although health issues and social trends played some role in the types of foods purchased, cost was really the defining factor for consumers on the panel. Food budgets dominated buying decisions. Beef was not only a food choice but a part of the entertainment experience with barbecued meals and luxury dining. Nutritional profiles influenced food buying decisions in general ways. These consumers tried to buy healthy in general rather than select foods based on specific nutritional content. The consumer had an awareness of the need for protein in the diet. Another guest presenter, Dr. Joe Schwarz, Director of McGill University Office of Science and Society, debunked some of the popular catch-phrases circulating about agriculture products that play on the scientific illiteracy of the public. For example, he noted words like “chemicalfree” and “natural” are used out of context. He cited that in marketing food products, words like “chemicals” are made synonymous with “poisons” when in fact chemicals are the building blocks of life. In this way, meat gets vilified through misinformation. The conference took time to honour those in the industry. At the opening reception, the FCC made a $100,000 donation to the University of Saskatchewan’s new Livestock and Forage Centre. This centre promises exciting research in the future collaborating on interests in beef and forage. Two SBIC scholarships were awarded to deserving University of Saskatchewan undergraduate students who are entering the industry both as scholars continued on page 73
MARCH 2018
Association News, Reports, and Events Ottawa Launches Six New Canadian Agricultural Partnerships Federal Agriculture and Agri-Foods Minister Lawrence MacAulay spent Canada’s Agriculture Day, February 13, 2018, in Ottawa launching six new programs which are part of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). This new $3 billion federal-provincial-territorial funding agreement runs for five years and takes effect on April 1. It includes $2 billion in federal, provincial and territorial costshared strategic initiatives and $1 billion for federal activities and programs. CAP replaces the Growing Forward 2 agricultural partnership which concludes at the end of March. MacAulay made clear that there will be no lapses in programming. The six announced programs were already “open for business”. They include AgriMarketing, AgriCompetitiveness, AgriScience, AgriInnovate, AgriDiversity and AgriAssurance. In addition to the CAP programs, farmers will continue to have access to a robust suite of business risk management programs. “Agriculture is a powerful driver of the economy,” MacAulay told the gathering. The agri-foods sector, which is vital for growth, innovation and trade, accounts for $62 billion in Canadian exports. “These investments will help ensure Canada’s agricultural sector remains a leader in job creation and innovation and will help achieve our objective of expanding agricultural exports to $75 billion by 2025,” the Agriculture and Agri-Foods Minister noted. Federal CAP programs and activities are grouped into three key areas of focus. “These initiatives will focus on priorities such as growing trade and expanding markets, innovation and sustainable growth of the sector and supporting diversity and a dynamic, evolving sector,” said MacAulay.
MARCH 2018
(1). The area of growing trade and expanding markets anticipates $297 million to provide core industry services, such as timely market information and sector expertise to help improve the sector’s competitiveness, growth and adaptability. It also aims to advance and defend international trade interests, improve market development and market access activities to address emerging needs of the sector.
science led by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada and support for regulatory systems and regional collaboration.
(2). The second area of innovative and sustainable growth of agriculture will be allocating $690 million to enhance the competitiveness of the sector through research, science and innovation and adoption of innovative products and practices, with an emphasis on the environment and clean growth. The government aims to support the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture, helping farmers adapt to climate change, conserve water and soil resources, and grow their businesses sustainably to meet increasing global food demand.
“These investments will help ensure Canada’s agricultural sector remains a leader in job creation and innovation, and will help achieve our objective of expanding agricultural exports to $75 billion by 2025,” Minister MacAulay stated.
(3) The third area of supporting diversity and a dynamic, evolving sector allocates $166.5 million to strengthen the sector. And will do so by better reflecting the diversity of Canadian communities, enhancing collaboration across different jurisdictions through a new Regional Collaborative Partnerships Program securing and supporting public trust in the sector and improving client services. These three key areas include $686.5 million over five years in federal programs and $467 million of federally funded activities that benefit producers and processors and address priorities identified by the agricultural sector during consultations in the development of the framework. These investments will support trade policy and market access, trade commissioners, market development, market information, value chain roundtables and foundational
The federal budget emphasized trade and investments in the areas of innovation through the $950 million, five-year, Innovation Superclusters Initiative, infrastructure, and value-added industries through the $1.2 billion Strategic Innovation Fund.
Beef Industry Conference cont. from pg. 72 and producers. At the banquet, the Saskatchewan Livestock Association presented its annual Honour Scrolls for 2018 to three deserving recipients: Janet and the late Dale Blair, Lori and Garner Deobald and Glenys and Brian Weedon. The conference also had its lighter moments with two inspirational guest speakers. Rod Pedersen, voice of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, inspired with his personal story of recovery from addictions and mental illness. The dynamic Saskatchewan Roughrider, Chad Owens, used his sociology degree to full effect presenting a Hawaiianinspired tool-kit for overcoming challenges in life and using adversity to shape character. B
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B
Association News, Reports, and Events SSGA Semi-Annual Meeting Resolutions BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA request the CCIA to revise their MOU with the CFIA to allow the transfer of information to provincial livestock inspectors and the RCMP to provide tag information to help identify stray and stolen animals.
Resolution #1 WHEREAS the wildfires this past fall caused widespread damage and destruction; and WHEREAS fire insurance for grass and forage isn’t currently commercially available. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation to offer fire insurance coverage for grass and forage in conjunction with their existing forage insurance programs. Carried Resolution #2 WHEREAS the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) collects information on animal movement and origin.
Carried Resolution #3 WHEREAS the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) pilot is currently under review; and
WHEREAS AgriRecovery covers only noninsurable losses; and WHEREAS producers are unable to insure their labour and equipment use for constructing fence; and BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada to provide coverage through AgriRecovery for labour and equipment costs for producers for the loss of fences from wildfires. Carried
WHEREAS the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) requires livestock producers to pay their WLPIP premiums at the time of policy purchase. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to have WLPIP participants have the same payment terms as all other SCIC programs. Carried Resolution #4 WHEREAS wildfires this past fall caused widespread damage and destruction; and
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MARCH 2018
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 75
Association News, Reports, and Events A Report From Shane Jahnke President, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association
One thing is for sure, the weather this winter has not been consistent. I hope everyone has managed to stay warm and keep their water bowls thawed through the recent cold snaps. As the days continue to get longer we should all take some comfort that spring is just around the corner. I would like to start by congratulating Scott Moe on his election as SaskParty Leader and becoming the 15th premier of Saskatchewan. We look forward to working with Premier Moe and his government in the coming years. I would also like to congratulate the other candidates who were involved in the hard fought leadership race. Now that the leadership race is over we look forward to the government getting back to business and the start of the spring legislative session and provincial budget on April 10. The SSGA had a productive Semi-Annual meeting held in Saskatoon during the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference. Our guest speaker was Ray Unrau, Deputy Fire Commissioner for the province. Ray’s presentation highlighted lessons learned from last fall’s wildfires and opportunities for improving communications and community emergency preparedness. There were also four resolutions debated and passed dealing with fire insurance coverage for pastures, AgriRecovery assistance for producers impacted by the wildfires, WLPIP premium payments and information transfer of CCIA tags to the RCMP and livestock inspectors. 76
The wildfire recovery fund was a testament to human nature on being willing to extend a helping hand to those who have suffered hardship. To date we have received over $247,000 in cash donations, including a matching $100,000 funds from the Government of Saskatchewan, as well as over $200,000 in-kind donations of trucking, feed, fencing materials and labour. The majority of the funds and feed that have been donated have been distributed. We plan on distributing the donated fencing materials once the frost comes out of the ground. We are continuing to accept donations of feed, cash, fencing materials and volunteer labour. If you are interested in helping out please contact the office at 306-757-8523. Our second annual Beef Drive continues to be a tremendous success. We are closing in on our goal of 10,000 lbs of ground beef. To date we have delivered over 9,200 lbs with an estimated retail value of $47,750. A huge thank you to everyone who has donated and a special thank you to the Elanco Animal Health 100 Communities Initiative for their ongoing financial support of the Beef Drive.
SK Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) recently announced significant improvements to their forage insurance and predation program for 2018. We were very pleased to see SCIC include fire insurance coverage for tame and native pastures as part of their rainfall insurance program. With it shaping up to be another dry year I would encourage all producers to contact your local SCIC office to learn more about this valuable program and to protect yourselves against the risks of drought and fire. I would also like to remind everyone that WLPIP calf insurance went on sale at the beginning of February and is available until late May. This tool is one of the valuable risk management tools that we as producers can use to offset the market risks that are beyond our control. I hope to see as many members as possible at the upcoming Zone meetings and I would like to wish everyone a safe and successful calving season. And as always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to give me a shout B
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Calendar of Events MARCH March 1 March 2 March 3 March 4 March 5 March 6 March 9 March 10 March 11 March 12 March 15 March 16-18 March 17 March 20 March 22 March 23 March 24 March 24 March 26 March 31 March 31 April 2 April 2 April 2 April 2 April 3 April 4 April 5 April 6 April 7 April 7 April 7 April 7-8 April 9 April 10 April 12 April 12 April 14 April 21 April 21 June 10-12
MARCH 2018
Calgary Bull Sale LaBatte Simmentals with Meadow Acres Simmentals 38th Annual Bull and Female Sale McMillen Ranching Ltd. 24th Annual Bull Sale R Plus Simmentals 18th Annual Bull Sale Ashworth Farm 15th Bull Sale Sun Country 11th Annual Shorthorn Sale Zone 4 Annual Meeting Zones 3 & 12 Annual Meeting Early Sunset “Only the Good Ones Sell” Production Sale Palmer Charolais with Nielson Land & Cattle Co 7th Annual Charolais, Red & Black Angus Bull Sale Bowerman Bros., Wish Bone Cattle Co., Nesset Lake Angus and Island Hill Angus 13th Annual Black Angus Bull Sale Cody Sibbald Legacy Classic Canada’s Red, White and Black Bull Sale City View Simmentals and Ivanhoe Angus 8th Annual Bull Sale Elder Charolais Farms 8th Annual Charolais Bull Sale Top Cut 26th Annual Black Angus Bull Sale Borderland Cattle Company Bull Sale Stockmen Select Bull Sale Cockburn/Merit Bull Sale Summit 3 Speckle Park Sale Triple A Angus Bull Sale APRIL nd Benchmark Angus 22 Annual “Makin’ the Grade” Bull Sale Eastondale Angus 11th Annual On the Farm Bull and Female Sale Wilgenbusch Charolais 15th Annual “North of the 49th” Bull Sale Delorme Ranch “Your Choice” Bull & Heifer Sale Git ‘R Done Bull Sale Peak Dot Ranch Ltd. Spring Bull Sale “Who’s Your Daddy?” 15th Annual Bull Sale Northern Progress 28th Annual Bull Sale Burnett 34th Annual Black Angus Bull Sale Crescent Creek Angus 20th Annual Bull and Female Sale Deagle Cattle Company Ltd. 6th Annual “Maine Difference” Bull Sale Saskatchewan Beef Expo Moose Creek Red Angus Yearling Sale Advertising deadline for May magazine Sliding Hills Charolais 12th Annual Bull Sale South View Ranch 18th Annual Bull Sale Six Mile Ranch 43rd Annual Bull Sale Cornerstone “More Bang for your Buck” Bull Sale Sandy Bar Angus 40th Annual Short Grass Bull and Female Sale JUNE SSGA 105th Annual General Meeting and Convention
Calgary, AB Moose Jaw, SK Carievale, SK Estevan, SK Oungre, SK Moose Jaw, SK Eastend, SK Swift Current, SK Edam, SK Bladworth, SK Meadow Lake, SK Medicine Hat, AB Moose Jaw, SK Moose Jaw, SK Coronach, SK Maple Creek, SK Rockglen, SK Moose Jaw, SK Moose Jaw, SK Ardrossan, AB Moose Jaw, SK Warner, AB Wawota, SK Halbrite, SK Maple Creek, SK Hodgeville, SK Wood Mountain, SK Saskatoon, SK Saskatoon, SK Swift Current, SK Goodeve, SK Veteran, AB Saskatoon, SK Kisbey, SK Canora, SK Ceylon, SK Fir Mountain, SK Whitewood, SK Aneroid, SK Swift Current, SK
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 77
Advertisers Index Adair Sales
64
Gem Silage
80
OLS
57
Allen Leigh Security & Communications
79
Gibson Livestock Ltd.
79
Paysen Livestock Equipment
2
Apollo Machine & Products
81
Git R Done Bull Sale
9
Peak Dot Ranch
59
ArcRite Welding
80
Golden Thread Livestock Images
81
Saskatchewan Angus Assoc.
61,81
Arm River Red Angus
82
Grassland Trailer
79
Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Assoc
INSERT
Barr & Olney
82
Great Western Beer
81
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
48
Battle Creek Angus
68
Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment
62
Saskatchewan Verified Beef Production Inc.
42-43
Beef Expo
54
John Brown Farms
82
SeCan
33,51
Benchmark
4
Johnstone Auction Mart
81
Short Grass Bull Sale
23
Borderland Angus Cattle Co.
27
Kelln Solar
80
Simply Ag Solutions
79
Burnett Bull Sale
25
Kramer Trailer Sales
79
Six Mile Ranch
31
Canadian Cattle Identification Agency
7,71
Kyle Welding & Machine Shop
79
Sliding Hills Bull Sale
67
Cornerstone Bull Sale
45
Lakeland Equipment
76
Solar West
79
Cowtown Livestock Exchange, Inc.
81
Lane Realty Corp.
10
South View Ranch Bull Sale
17
Crescent Creek Angus
19
Liphatech Rozol
INSERT
Summit 3 Speckle Park Sale
29
D&R Prairie Supplies
74
Man-SK Gelbvieh
81
Sweet Pro
80
Deagle Cattle Co.
12
Masterfeeds
79
Titan Livestock
79
Ducks Unlimited Canada
83
Merit Cattle Co.
75
Top Cut Bull Sale
26
Early Sunset Ranch
3
Moose Creek Red Angus
37
Triple A Angus Bull Sale
35
Eastondale Angus Bull Sale
13
Vetoquinol
65
Edward Jones
N.M. McMahon Chartered Professional Accountant
80
80
81
47
81
Western Litho
Elanco Animal Health
New Life Mills
79
49
Elder Charolais
New Vision Agro
Who's Your Daddy Bull Sale
63
11
79
84
Wilgenbusch Charolais Bull Sale
FeedMax Corporation
Norheim Ranching
41
55
Frostfree Nosepumps Ltd.
Northern Progress Bull Sale
Your Choice Bull Sale
79
GBT Angus
82
Northstar Seed
80
SSGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE EXECUTIVE
Shane Jahnke President/Director at Large Gouldtown, SK
DIRECTORS AT LARGE Phone: 784-2899
Bill Huber 1st Vice President/Director at Large Lipton, SK Phone: 336-2684 Kelcy Elford 2nd Vice President/Director at Large Caronport, SK
Phone: 690-5309
Jeff Yorga Finance Chair Flintoft, SK Phone: 531-5717 Doug Gillespie Past President Neville, SK Phone: 627-3619
78
Jerry Chanig, Mankota Keith Day, Lacadena Gerald Duckworth, Courval Glen Elford, Avonlea Calvin Gavelin, McCord Joe Gilchrist, Maple Creek Paula Larson, D'Arcy Norm Nordgulen, Assiniboia Lee Sexton, Hanley Barry Olney, Estevan Roy Rutledge, Assiniboia
ZONE CHAIR DIRECTORS Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 - Zone 5 - Zone 6 - Zone 7 - Zone 12 -
Henry McCarthy, Wawota Stephanie Deg, Weyburn Rod Gamble, Pambrun Brad Howe, Empress, AB Bill Huber, Lipton Brent Griffin, Elbow Kimberly Simpson, Kyle Kelly Williamson, Pambrun
| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com
478-2658 375-2934 394-4211 436-7121 478-2558 662-3986 379-4523 642-4961 544-2660 421-1495 642-5358
AFFILIATE DIRECTORS
Garner Deobald - Charolais Affiliate, Hodgeville 677-2589 Jack Ford - SaskMilk Affiliate, Wishart 328-4700 Tara Fritz - SImmental Affiliate, Shaunavon 297-3147 Ian Leaman - Shorthorn Affiliate, Chaplin 631-3694 Laird Senft - Angus Affiliate, Fort Qu’Appelle 332-4823 Corbin St. John - Goat Breeders Affiliate, Brock 460-7361 Jeff Yorga - Limousin Affiliate, Flintoft 531-5717
APPOINTED DIRECTORS
Dr. Andy Acton- Veterinary Advisor, Ogema
459-2422
SASKATCHEWAN CCA DIRECTORS
739-2205 891-9894 582-2077 661-0409 336-2684 854-2050 375-5534 582-6102
Pat Hayes, Val Marie Lynn Grant, Val Marie Reg Schellenberg, Beechy Duane Thompson, Kelliher
298-2284 298-2268 859-4905 675-4562
Listings of email and fax numbers can be found on the SSGA website at www.skstockgrowers.com
MARCH 2018
Give us a call when it’s time to market your cattle.
NS
LE
titanlivestock.com
TT CA
TO
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John Lawton President C E 780-487-8769 NN Cell: 780-712-0140 CO john@titanlivestock.com G TIN
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MARCH 2018
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email: newvisionagro@sasktel.net www.newvisionagro.com
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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 79
www.edwardjones.com
Forage Seed Mixes Corn Seed
Know your goals so you can choose your investments. Tyler Knibbs
Financial Advisor .
461 King Street Unit 3 Estevan, SK S4A 1K6 306-634-4870 www.edwardjones.com
Neil McLeod 306-831-9401
Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund
f each o e l the sa Beef m o r f ian $10 anad e Wildfire C I h s to t e o g t und. F t-shir f e i l Re
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80
SK Stock Growers Box 4752, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4
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MARCH 2018
Machine & Products Ltd. All types of commercial and purebred livestock auctions and farm sales. Wash rack facilities for livestock
www.johnstoneauction.ca
Wayne or Scott Johnstone Box 818, Moose Jaw, SK 306-693-4715 (Bus) Fax 306-691-6650
• ROLLER MILLS ~ Electric or PTO models ~ 10 sizes available ~ Increase the nutrition value of your feed! ~ Manufactured in Saskatoon • SILAGE COVERS & GRAIN BAGS We regroove roller mill rolls - most brands
2502 Millar Ave, Saskatoon 306-242-9884 or 877-255-0187 apm@sasktel.net www.apollomachineandproducts.com
CT
Cowtown Livestock Exchange Inc. Maple Creek, SK
Regular Sales every Tuesday @ 10:00 a.m. Locally Owned & Operated Call for info on Presort & Other Sales Phone 306-662-2648 Toll Free: 1-800-239-5933
306.681.5340 sarah@goldenthread.ca www.goldenthread.ca SARAH BUCHANAN
www.cowtownlivestock.com
OFFICIAL BEER OF THE SSGA GreatWesternBeer.com Be careful, this beer is delicious. Enjoy responsibly.
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MARCH 2018
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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 81AM 2016-08-26 11:55
B R E E D E RS Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Advocating for Independent Cattle Producers in Saskatchewan for 104 Years.
Your AD could be here! Contact 306-757-8523
(306) 567- 4702
Box 688, Davidson, SK S0G
Helen Finucane phone: 306-584-2773 cell: 306-537-2648 Carlyle, SK
Your AD could be here! Contact 306-757-8523
Annual Online 2 Year Old Bull Sale 3rd Friday in March Trevor, Cheryl, Brett & Carter Branvold Box 205 Wawota, Saskatchewan S0G 5A0 Ph: 306 739 2924 | Cell: 306 577 9141 gbtangus@sasktel.net | www.gbtangus.com
TRU-TEST GIVES BACK Buy a Scale System, get $50 OFF of your SSGA Membership and Tru-Test will donate $50 to SSGA! Tru-Test is proud to support an organization that supports the beef industry and farmers and ranchers who make it great.
800.874.8494 • www.tru-test.com 82 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com Tru-Test_Ad_BeefBusiness_7.625x4.875.indd 3
MARCH5/23/17 20181:59 PM
F
RAGE AHEAD
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As a producer, you care about your land and the environment. You know that high-quality forage crops are important because they help produce healthy, hefty cattle – and that makes you happy. Forage crops not only provide sustainable grazing sources for livestock, they’re part of sound land management. Forage crops also diversify crop rotations, prevent erosion and retain nutrients. The 2018 Forage Program helps with the cost of seeding, and includes the extensive line-up of Proven® Seed forage varieties. Sign up and get your ducks in a row before spring! Ask us about our other programs including fencing, wetland restoration and more.
MARCH 2018
www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 83
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